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Missile Defense

Technology has always found its greatest consumer in a nation's war and defense efforts. Since the last attempts at a "Star Wars" defense system, has technology changed considerably enough to make the latest Missile Defense initiatives more successful? Can such an application of science be successful? Is a militarized space inevitable, necessary or impossible?

rshowalt - 03:26pm Jan 6, 2002 EST (#10664 of 10673)

gisterme 11/9/01 4:36am responds to my rshowalter 9/29/01 6:44am

I'd written that

" The lasar weapons programs are fatally flawed because reflective coatings are so effective (and can easily shed 999/1000ths of the energy that hits them http://www.phy.davidson.edu/jimn/Java/Coatings.htm

and gisterme corrected me from text on the link that said "98% reflectivity may be achievable." However, http://www.phy.davidson.edu/jimn/Java/Coatings.htm had two interactive displays, as well. I got my number from the second display.

On the second display, punch "6 layer mirror" and then hit "add layer pair." - - - 999/1000's is achieved with an 8-layer pair. More layers would be easily arranged.

Gisterme goes on to make a point that direct deposition of reflective coatings would be technically difficult or impossible. I hadn't meant to suggest something that had to be "built of unobtanium."

I was thinking of reflective decals, and almost (but not quite) said so in rshowalter 9/29/01 6:44am . Pardon me, gisterme when I wrote

" The reflective coatings are easily enough made and applied to surfaces. Anybody who has ever used contact paper, or put a decal on a plastic model, knows how easy. "

I didn't explicitly say reflective decals. Or say that reflective decals are easy to make. But I believe they are -- at least with reflectivities well above 95% -- enough to defend well from lasar weapons, even with the lasar weapons "perfect" in other respects. . Would 99%+, or even 99.9%+ be feasable? My guess is that, at least for the 99% level, such decals could be designed, set up, and tooled for under $20,000. Enough to invalidate lasar weapons as major "missile defense" devices. . And in a way that is SO obvious, that it has to be anticipated.

rshowalt - 03:27pm Jan 6, 2002 EST (#10665 of 10673)

For a sense of why lasar weapons issues matter about missile defense, and other things, I think this is an interesting article.

The Next Battlefield May Be in Outer Space By JACK HITT http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/05/magazine/05SPACEWARS.html

By reasonable (economically disinterested) professional engineering standards, lasars for MD and for offense are ruled out because it is so easy to defend against them (and for resolution reasons, as well.)

That does nothing to invalidate the very important reconnaissance capabilities of space. But it goes a long way to adress concerns that the Russians REASONABLY have about our missile defense prospects. Our best defense against rogue state missiles, by miles, is to ally with Russia, and other countries, outlaw them, and enforce the prohibition.

rshowalt - 03:32pm Jan 6, 2002 EST (#10666 of 10673)

In gisterme 11/9/01 4:36am gisterme , referring to a statement that still seems reasonable to me, says that I "never bothered to even try to refute the calculations I presented that show that statement is not true. Remember? From public sources, based on existing technology?"

Gisterme , I dont know the calculations of yours that you're referring to. Could you point them out? Thanks.

lchic - 08:15pm Jan 6, 2002 EST (#10667 of 10673)

Showlater: I note the name 'Jack HITT', he's right, and on target .. an advocate of 'ORDER' rather than the free-for-all militarised space. It's logic versus greed - as in returns for a certain sector.

On the Afghanistan issue. The guy on TheNewsHour was thinking that the Arab world should take from the West - only what it needs, rather than become westernised ... because there's a fear of that.

Thinking this over. All the West has is knowledge and knowledge of efficient process. So when the Arab world has concerns re the West, re knowledge ... what's really going on?

Checking out ISLAM one notes that the originator was looking for incremental improvements to make the lives of individuals better. The Islamic movement split and splintered. The leaders of these groups moved to looking inwards to 'self' with 'power' ... greed steps in at this point.

I've never really met anyone from the Arab world who wants to step back in time, it's usually .. oh we have to do this, dress this way ... etc .. expressing the hope that they will have more freedom and fewer controls a couple of decades hence. The people generally are forward looking.

The problem with the Arab world therefore has to be that the LEADERSHIP needs to move into the 'world', be visionary, set goals, and look towards the real needs of the people - not their own.

lchic - 09:19pm Jan 6, 2002 EST (#10668 of 10673)

Note that the US is in trouble once again re allowing Children to fly planes. Take those suicidal odd-bod kids off the tarmac!

Intersting that this latest incident - illustrates my point above re the minds of youth being polarised ... seeing the world from opposite-end spectrums, rather with a holistic rounded view.

Noted that none of the six heads at the school he attended knew the 15 year old. Indicative of the fact that promotion-power-rewards are directly related to 'paper-pushing' .. and have little to do with community:leadership. So the kid had good test scores - yet no common sense!

lchic - 09:20pm Jan 6, 2002 EST (#10669 of 10673)

Better late than never - appologies re name :)

lchic - 02:12am Jan 7, 2002 EST (#10670 of 10673)

Warlords ... indicates a competitive spirit - abroad. Were this spirit to be channelled into competitive Nation BUILDING .. rather than negative killing ... Afghanistan might become a fine place.

Wonder if lateral thinker de Bono has translated his 'thinking hats, shoes', and team-building approaches into the local lingo?

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