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Missile Defense

Russian military leaders have expressed concern about US plans for a national missile defense system. Will defense technology be limited by possibilities for a strategic imbalance? Is this just SDI all over again?

rshowalter - 02:07pm Jul 9, 2001 EST (#6802 of 6807)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Notwithstanding gisterme's interesting posts of
MD6792 http://forums.nytimes.com/webin/WebX?7@184.nbJpaVJQrpt^4123059@.f0ce57b/7366 ... MD6794 gisterme 7/9/01 12:57pm
MD6795 gisterme 7/9/01 1:09pm

I feel comfortable referring again to my points and questions in the following, without modification.
MD6788 rshowalter 7/9/01 10:33am ... MD6789 rshowalter 7/9/01 10:34am
MD6790 rshowalter 7/9/01 10:35am ... MD6791 rshowalter 7/9/01 10:35am

gisterme - 02:31pm Jul 9, 2001 EST (#6803 of 6807)

rshowalter wrote ( rshowalter 7/6/01 7:43pm ): Do want to repeat the question, gisterme.

Can the government now blow something up with a lasar, at short range , in ways that can impress a Congressman? Or an ordinary voter - somebody, say, who has the technical background an auto worker would have?

http://www.trw.com/news/kits/kits_thel.asp

I'm admittedly no congressman, Robert, but I am a voter with a technical background that's probably better than the average auto worker, and this does impress me. How many miracles do you think it takes to blow up a rocket like that through atmosphere?

WRT to tracking, on the "multiple shootdown video" note how accurately the laser "hot spot" is tracked at the very leading edge of the rocket's nose cone. That rocket is undoubtedly moving at supersonic velocity and judging from the photo of the guy loading the katyusha rocket onto the launcher the rocket is about 3 meters long and perhaps 0.2m in diameter. That's a pretty impressive small-scale demonstration if you ask me.

But you already know that, Robert. This link was first posted by dirac some time back. You've already seen those pictures of what a laser can do to a rocket in flight at short range. You've already said you know what lasers can do in metal cutting and welding environments. Why do you keep asking the same question?

rshowalter - 02:34pm Jul 9, 2001 EST (#6804 of 6807)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Because the details matter so much (emissivity of paints, for instance) and because, after all the deception I've come to suspect -- I'm not so easily convinced by videos as I used to be.

How about the question about reflective coatings?

If you want me to admit that all the mistakes made have been honest mistakes -- maybe you can convince me of that. Right now, I doubt it.

gisterme - 02:42pm Jul 9, 2001 EST (#6805 of 6807)

This board is getting kind of like one of those old western movies where you see a side shot of the hero bobbing up and down in the saddle of a fake horse with the same background scenery passing by over and over again. BORING.

I've decided to go find a topic where my input might be more useful and where I might stand to learn something new...like global warming or some other that may have some more diverse participation.

I may still pop in from time-to-time just to keep you honest, Robert. This is NOT a retreat (as you'll undoubtedly proudly announce) but rather a judgement on my part that my particular talents could be better applied elsewhere.

lunarchick, possumdag, midmoon, dirac and Robert. It's been an experience.

Caio

rshowalter - 02:43pm Jul 9, 2001 EST (#6806 of 6807)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I think a lot of good people at the contractors are wearing their hearts out, doing very hard jobs -- and doing them, within the human limits --as well as they technically can -- with high competence.

But I also think that they are attempting impossible jobs.

To me, it looks like "The Charge of the Light Brigade" -- with a change of time and scene -- this time for engineers.

The contractors should be working on possible jobs.

rshowalter - 02:46pm Jul 9, 2001 EST (#6807 of 6807)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

I'm not bored, myself - I think the blunders of the administration are very interesting -- and tragic.

How about the reflective coatings, gisterme ?

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