Plausible Space weapons.....?

victorhadin · Post by **victorhadin** » 2003-04-21 09:20am

Any ideas for some smashing space weaponry that is almost, or currently, within our grasp?

I can think of kinetic harpoons for dropping onto targets from orbit, laser weapons for taking out satellites and possibly missiles (though as to their abilities, accuracy, effective range and power sources I am uncertain) and scatterbombs to deploy shrapnel into orbit, -either unstable orbits for taking out satellites or stable orbits for orbital denial.
-Plus nuclear weapons and their obvious uses.

More?

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2003-04-21 10:00am

You could put nuclear reentry vehicles onboard a satellite for quick delivery anywhere on the globe (see Polyus). There of course have been numerous plans to put lasers in orbit, such as the proposed SBL.

UltraViolence83 · Post by **UltraViolence83** » 2003-04-21 10:01am

Oh God you never used the Search option have you? There's a shitload of threads regarding that.

How about some kind of remote drone that can be used as a fighter/missile?

It can be deployed around its parent ship and laser away troublesome oncoming missiles, and can ram into another ship for good measure.

victorhadin · Post by **victorhadin** » 2003-04-21 10:16am

Well no, I admit searching has not entered my mind as of yet, but since I am making an internet site for the very purpose of discussing the plausibilities of space weaponry I wondered if there were any revolutionary ideas I was missing.

And I have a cracking simulation of a kinetic harpoon coming on.

Icehawk · Post by **Icehawk** » 2003-04-21 12:04pm

The US is already developing and testing a Megawatt class laser satellite which is on scheduel to be lofted into orbit in 2013 for a live fire test.

Other than that, I have also heard of a weapon system dubbed "Rods of God" which could be used on a planned military space plane/shuttle. Basically its a rail gun type weapon that fires uranium enriched rods down into the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds to penetrate and destroy targets on or deep below the ground.

Sektor31 · Post by **Sektor31** » 2003-04-21 12:10pm

Icehawk wrote:The US is already developing and testing a Megawatt class laser satellite which is on scheduel to be lofted into orbit in 2013 for a live fire test.

Other than that, I have also heard of a weapon system dubbed "Rods of God" which could be used on a planned military space plane/shuttle. Basically its a rail gun type weapon that fires uranium enriched rods down into the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds to penetrate and destroy targets on or deep below the ground.

I can already see the environmentalists crying war.

Anyway, the http://bbs.stardestroyer.net/viewtopic.php?t=17828 thread back in Other Sci-Fi explains it all. Really good stuff.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-04-21 12:17pm

Remote control drones work to a point, but in space you could easily have battles in which your drones would be uncontrollable because of the lag time in communications.

Crayz9000 · Post by **Crayz9000** » 2003-04-21 12:27pm

Which is why NASA and the US military are working on more "intelligent" drones, which can "think" for themselves in the event of a communications breakdown.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-04-21 12:29pm

Missiles. As I said before, lots and lots of missiles.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-04-21 12:31pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:Remote control drones work to a point, but in space you could easily have battles in which your drones would be uncontrollable because of the lag time in communications.

I can just see communications being exchanged between opposing ships:

1: u 1a|\/|3r! stop camping in low orbit!
2: laaaaaag

victorhadin · Post by **victorhadin** » 2003-04-21 02:10pm

LOL!

Seriously, if the US does chuck a laser satellite up by 2013, that will create one hell of a diplomatic mess, although with luck this will get everyone else to stand up, take notice, and put their own weapons up there.

Xon · Post by **Xon** » 2003-04-21 02:11pm

3rd Impact wrote: 1: u 1a|\/|3r! stop camping in low orbit!
2: laaaaaag

Actually that would be high orbit not low orbit.

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi · Post by **Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi** » 2003-04-21 02:12pm

Some missile platform in space for ground bombardments, or perhaps a high-powered laser that harnesses the energy of the sun with freakin' huge solar panels.

victorhadin · Post by **victorhadin** » 2003-04-21 02:15pm

I've thought of that, but the problem of solar panels is that they are extremely visible, visually and to RADAR. I feel that future space warfare will be heavily biased towards stealth and zero-emissions.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-04-21 02:27pm

Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi wrote:Some missile platform in space for ground bombardments

What would be the point? Your better off with ground launchers that can be easily protected, and you save the vast cost of placing somthing into orbit only to bring it back down again.

victorhadin · Post by **victorhadin** » 2003-04-21 02:33pm

Depends. Orbital weapons such as kinetic harpoons (missiles, in effect) are useful in that they are virtually impossible to intercept and can hit anything on the face of the globe. They are perfect first-strike weapons.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2003-04-21 02:42pm

Crayz9000 wrote:Which is why NASA and the US military are working on more "intelligent" drones, which can "think" for themselves in the event of a communications breakdown.

thats a scary thought

*what are you doing dave....

Crayz9000 · Post by **Crayz9000** » 2003-04-21 02:47pm

To be honest, it's more of a somewhat autonomous computer that they're interested in, like the autonomous navigational system that went aboard Deep Space One.

Jonathan · Post by **Jonathan** » 2003-04-21 05:27pm

victorhadin wrote:LOL!

Seriously, if the US does chuck a laser satellite up by 2013, that will create one hell of a diplomatic mess, although with luck this will get everyone else to stand up, take notice, and put their own weapons up there.

I thought there were treaties agreeing that space would be kept demilitarised. Well, no weapons anyway. But I guess certain people in the US feel they shouldn't be bound by treaties. Hopefully there'll be someone rational in power by that point.

Kuroneko · Post by **Kuroneko** » 2003-04-21 06:10pm

Jonathan wrote:I thought there were treaties agreeing that space would be kept demilitarised. Well, no weapons anyway. But I guess certain people in the US feel they shouldn't be bound by treaties. Hopefully there'll be someone rational in power by that point.

The militarization of space is inevitable. No one wants to start it, because it'll turn into another arms race, so delaying it really is in everyone's best interests at this point. But sooner of later it'll happen anyway. Where people go, weapons follow.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2003-04-21 09:23pm

Jonathan wrote:
victorhadin wrote:LOL!

Seriously, if the US does chuck a laser satellite up by 2013, that will create one hell of a diplomatic mess, although with luck this will get everyone else to stand up, take notice, and put their own weapons up there.
I thought there were treaties agreeing that space would be kept demilitarised. Well, no weapons anyway. But I guess certain people in the US feel they shouldn't be bound by treaties. Hopefully there'll be someone rational in power by that point.

Weapons ban treaties typically have been used by superpowers/the hegemon to maintain their advantage and discarded when it is no longer to their advantage (rightly or wrongly, which is another debate). The ban on space weaponry is likely to follow the various nuclear test ban treaties.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2003-04-21 09:24pm

Kuroneko wrote:
Jonathan wrote:I thought there were treaties agreeing that space would be kept demilitarised. Well, no weapons anyway. But I guess certain people in the US feel they shouldn't be bound by treaties. Hopefully there'll be someone rational in power by that point.
The militarization of space is inevitable. No one wants to start it, because it'll turn into another arms race, so delaying it really is in everyone's best interests at this point. But sooner of later it'll happen anyway. Where people go, weapons follow.

The US is determined to have orbiting weapons systems as part of it's NMD, so it's probably going to happen sooner (as in a decade or so) rather than later.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2003-04-21 09:34pm

Missiles moving at fractions of c would be ideal.

You get kinetic impact, energy/heat transfer, and the delievery of the missiles' payload.

Of course, since we are not likely to be able to accelerate objects to such speeds anytime soon, missiles. Lots and lots of missiles.

GrandMasterTerwynn · Post by **GrandMasterTerwynn** » 2003-04-22 12:03am

victorhadin wrote:Any ideas for some smashing space weaponry that is almost, or currently, within our grasp?

I can think of kinetic harpoons for dropping onto targets from orbit, laser weapons for taking out satellites and possibly missiles (though as to their abilities, accuracy, effective range and power sources I am uncertain) and scatterbombs to deploy shrapnel into orbit, -either unstable orbits for taking out satellites or stable orbits for orbital denial.
-Plus nuclear weapons and their obvious uses.

More?

Two feasible space weapons.

A) Lasers for use on other satellites. A typical satellite is very thin-skinned and jam-packed with sensitive components. A laser in the range of hundreds of kilowatts would put virtually any satellite out of commission.

B) Against ground targets a high-speed kinetic impactor would work nicely.

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2003-04-22 07:34am

Gridfire

StarDestroyer.Net BBS

Plausible Space weapons.....?

Plausible Space weapons.....?

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