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#11
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Boeing Airborne Laser in action
On Feb 14, 2:46*pm, Pat Flannery wrote:
It must be a challenge for our military people to fuel them, as we are out of practice with that toxic of a propellant combo (UDMH and IRFNA), although maybe they got some of the old kerosene fueled ones. Interesting point; I never thought of that angle. And I now wonder if there are any EPA considerations involved at Mare Island and Pearl Harbor, where Tripoli spends its time while not at sea. |
#12
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Boeing Airborne Laser in action
Allen Thomson wrote:
Scud-B, Further and more, FWIW, the ship is the decommissioned ex-USS Tripoli. A picture of it at Mare Island with a couple of Scuds is at http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/11/10111006.jpg Beat-up old helicopter carrier and beat-up old Russian missiles sounds like a terrible combo from a safety point of view. ;-) Apparently the ABL was also tested out against two solid-fueled Terrier Black Brant sounding rockets a few days earlier: http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gener...gages%20Second Pat |
#13
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Boeing Airborne Laser in action
"Pat Flannery" wrote in message ... They actually shot down a missile with the thing; and sci-fi fans will be happy to know the beam really does glow red, just like in the movies: http://defensetech.org/2010/02/12/ab...ful-shootdown/ Pat The Sec of Defense recently called the ABL program 'fatally flawed'. Not sure why but it looks like the funding is going away. |
#14
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Boeing Airborne Laser in action
On Feb 15, 3:08*pm, "Jonathan" wrote:
"Pat Flannery" wrote in message ... They actually shot down a missile with the thing; and sci-fi fans will be happy to know the beam really does glow red, just like in the movies: http://defensetech.org/2010/02/12/ab...ful-shootdown/ Pat The Sec of Defense recently called the ABL program 'fatally flawed'. Not sure why but it looks like the funding is going away. Not sure if the public funded Boeing, Raytheon and TRW effort known as ABL is good or bad, though either way it’s certainly spendy, and there’s no telling what kinds of friendly fire sorts of collateral damage are involved thus far, and as to what extent the not always failsafe future has to offer. With so much of our national resources going into advanced weapons, perhaps the good side of all this will eventually create a thousand fold more powerful laser cannon that can defend Earth from those NEOs and rogue arrivals that pose a significant threat. ~ BG |
#15
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Boeing Airborne Laser in action
"Brad Guth" wrote in message ... Not sure if the public funded Boeing, Raytheon and TRW effort known as ABL is good or bad, though either way it's certainly spendy, and there's no telling what kinds of friendly fire sorts of collateral damage are involved thus far, and as to what extent the not always failsafe future has to offer. With so much of our national resources going into advanced weapons, perhaps the good side of all this will eventually create a thousand fold more powerful laser cannon that can defend Earth from those NEOs and rogue arrivals that pose a significant threat. ~ BG ......................... I think sometimes the belief that a weapon is effective, even if it isn't, can be rather useful. Like the anti aircraft guns ringing London in WW2, from what I've read they hardly hit a thing, but the people felt safer hearing them thump away. And the Patriot missile in the Gulf war, they didn't hit much either, but they managed to keep Israel out of the war, which was huge. The ABL might put some important doubt in the minds of N Korea and Iran. s |
#16
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Boeing Airborne Laser in action
On Feb 17, 12:01*pm, Brad Guth wrote:
On Feb 15, 3:08*pm, "Jonathan" wrote: "Pat Flannery" wrote in message ... They actually shot down a missile with the thing; and sci-fi fans will be happy to know the beam really does glow red, just like in the movies: http://defensetech.org/2010/02/12/ab...ful-shootdown/ Pat The Sec of Defense recently called the ABL program 'fatally flawed'. Not sure why but it looks like the funding is going away. Not sure if the public funded Boeing, Raytheon and TRW effort known as TRW was bought by Northrop Grumman years ago. Do try and catch up. ABL is good or bad, though either way it’s certainly spendy, and there’s no telling what kinds of friendly fire sorts of collateral damage are involved thus far, and as to what extent the not always failsafe future has to offer. With so much of our national resources going into advanced weapons, perhaps the good side of all this will eventually create a thousand fold more powerful laser cannon that can defend Earth from those NEOs and rogue arrivals that pose a significant threat. Yeah, add in a bunch of roughneck oil drillers posing as astronauts and you might have something. Wait, the movie "Armageddon" already did that... |
#17
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Boeing Airborne Laser in action
"Eric Chomko" wrote in message ... On Feb 17, 12:01 pm, Brad Guth wrote: .. With so much of our national resources going into advanced weapons, perhaps the good side of all this will eventually create a thousand fold more powerful laser cannon that can defend Earth from those NEOs and rogue arrivals that pose a significant threat. Yeah, add in a bunch of roughneck oil drillers posing as astronauts and you might have something. Wait, the movie "Armageddon" already did that... Have you ever spent any time brousing the various US military websites? I mean, it's not like they're keeping our military ambitions in space secret. In fact, it seems they go out of the way to brag about it. From one of my favorite sites, the Directed Energy Directorate (great name) And btw some of the key words below are.... "freedom to maneuver in space" "high-energy lasers" "long-range strike" "space deployable laser" "basketball-sized objects" "thousand miles into space" Not even reading between the lines this translates to.... 'The US intends to be able to vaporize anything that get's in our way using high-powered lasers based on the ground and in space.' Directed Energy Directorate "Freedom to maneuver in space is critical to meeting the United States Air Force's mission to fly, fight, and win in air, space and cyberspace." "The Directorate concentrates on improving warfighter capabilities such as precision engagement, long-range strike, counter electronics, force protection, and space situational awareness. Directorate researchers develop, integrate,and transition technology that includes high-energy lasers, high-power microwaves, millimeter waves, beam control, and advanced optical systems." http://www.kirtland.af.mil/afrl_de/ LARGE MEMBRANE MIRRORS 'This program will demonstrate the performance of a revolutionary approach to a large aperture, high resolution, space deployable laser projection system that will reduce optics payload weight by at least 50% and launch costs proportionately. It will demonstrate space optics and projection technologies required for very large aperture, longdwell systems used for situational awareness." http://www.kirtland.af.mil/shared/me...070404-038.pdf STARFIRE OPTICAL RANGE AT KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE "The SOR operates one of the world's premier adaptive-optics telescopes capable of tracking low-earth orbiting satellites. The telescope has a 3.5-meter (11.5 feet) diameter primary mirror.." "Using adaptive optics, the telescope distinguishes basketball-sized objects at a distance of 1,000 miles into space. It is a major component of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate. http://www.kirtland.af.mil/library/f...t.asp?id=15868 s |
#18
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Boeing Airborne Laser in action
On Feb 17, 7:00*pm, "Jonathan" wrote:
"Brad Guth" wrote in message ... Not sure if the public funded Boeing, Raytheon and TRW effort known as ABL is good or bad, though either way it's certainly spendy, and there's no telling what kinds of friendly fire sorts of collateral damage are involved thus far, and as to what extent the not always failsafe future has to offer. With so much of our national resources going into advanced weapons, perhaps the good side of all this will eventually create a thousand fold more powerful laser cannon that can defend Earth from those NEOs and rogue arrivals that pose a significant threat. *~ BG ........................ I think sometimes the belief that a weapon is effective, even if it isn't, can be rather useful. Like the anti aircraft guns ringing London in WW2, from what I've read they hardly hit a thing, but the people felt safer hearing them thump away. And the Patriot missile in the Gulf war, they didn't hit much either, but they managed to keep Israel out of the war, which was huge. The ABL might put some important doubt in the minds of N Korea and Iran. s A 100 MW ABL could also help burn up a rogue asteroid that's getting a little too close for comfort. ~ BG |
#19
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Boeing Airborne Laser in action
On Feb 19, 5:47*pm, "Jonathan" wrote:
"Eric Chomko" wrote in message ... On Feb 17, 12:01 pm, Brad Guth wrote: With so much of our national resources going into advanced weapons, perhaps the good side of all this will eventually create a thousand fold more powerful laser cannon that can defend Earth from those NEOs and rogue arrivals that pose a significant threat. Yeah, add in a bunch of roughneck oil drillers posing as astronauts and you might have something. Wait, the movie "Armageddon" already did that... Have you ever spent any time brousing the various US military websites? I mean, it's not like they're keeping our military ambitions in space secret. In fact, it seems they go out of the way to brag about it. From one of my favorite sites, the Directed Energy Directorate (great name) And btw some of the key words below are.... "freedom to maneuver in space" "high-energy lasers" "long-range strike" "space deployable laser" "basketball-sized objects" "thousand miles into space" Not even reading between the lines this translates to.... * * *'The US intends to be able to vaporize anything that get's in our way * * * * * using high-powered lasers based on the ground and in space.' Directed Energy Directorate "Freedom to maneuver in space is critical to meeting the United States Air Force's mission to fly, fight, and win in air, space and cyberspace." "The Directorate concentrates on improving warfighter capabilities such as precision engagement, long-range strike, counter electronics, force protection, and space situational awareness. *Directorate researchers develop, integrate,and transition technology *that includes high-energy lasers, high-power microwaves, millimeter waves, beam control, and advanced optical systems."http://www.kirtland.af.mil/afrl_de/ LARGE MEMBRANE MIRRORS 'This program will demonstrate the performance of a revolutionary approach to a large aperture, high resolution, space deployable laser projection system that will reduce optics payload weight by at least 50% and launch costs proportionately. It will demonstrate space optics and projection technologies required for very large aperture, longdwell systems used for situational awareness.."http://www.kirtland.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-070404-038.pdf STARFIRE OPTICAL RANGE AT KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE "The SOR operates one of the world's premier adaptive-optics telescopes capable of tracking low-earth orbiting satellites. The telescope has a 3.5-meter (11.5 feet) diameter primary mirror.." "Using adaptive optics, the telescope distinguishes basketball-sized *objects at a distance of 1,000 miles into space. It is a major component *of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy *Directorate.http://www.kirtland.af.mil/library/f...t.asp?id=15868 s Exactly what William Mook needs for his " INTERPLANETARY LASER LIGHT SAIL" Our trusty Wlliam Mook will get us there at 1 gee, and in hardly any time at all. On Feb 19, 8:59 am, William Mook wrote: " INTERPLANETARY LASER LIGHT SAIL" The 63 GW beam bouncing off a laser light sail that's 99.9% reflective at the operating wavelength (1 micron in this case) beaming energy at a 20,000 sq m disc (500 ft diam) that masses 1 metric ton and operates at 420 Kelvin. This boosts a 103 ton payload at nearly 1 gee without consuming ANY propellant!! So, the more compact vehicle lands and takes off using laser propelled rockets. The vehicle then deploys a laser light sail to boost at 1 gee through interplanetary space! So our 103 ton payload module equipped with a laser light sail, operating in conjunction with our advanced solar power satellite network, is capable of sending payloads efficiently across the solar system. At 1 gee the moon is only 3 and a half hours away. The planets are nearly all less than 2 weeks away using this fleet; Mercury 2 days 5 hours Venus 1 days 15 hours Mars 2 days Ceres 3 days 20 hours Jupiter 5 days 20 hours Saturn 8 days 8 hours Uranus 12 days 8 hours Neptune 15 days 10 hours Though efficiencies (and thrust) fall off far from the Sun - without some sort of lens system in place to recollimate the beams. Alternatively, larger diameter emitters may be built - and higher energy levels - which mean larger thrusts. Which gets us into the realm of travel to the Kuiper Belt, to Pluto and Beyond. As well as nearby star systems. Larger diameter emitters close in to the sun, combined with larger diameter mirrors - 20 sq km and more - operating at the TW levels - provide a means to send 1,000 ton payloads to nearby stars and slow them down using 1,000 ton mirror sheets using methods first described by Bob Forward of Hughes Aircraft. 6 months at 1 gee gets to half light speed. After 8.6 years of travel time - assuming Alpha Centuari is our destination then, 6 months at 1 gee slows the payload to rest in the target star system, while accelerating the larger portion of the laser light sail to over 87% the speed of light. The payload deploys a laser power satellite into the Centauri System, which then uses light from the Cenauri star to sail to a convenient spot above the stellar surface - to create a counter-propagating beam back toward Earth. This beam is used by the spacecraft to visit locations in the Centauri system and then return home. Accelerating for 6 months at 1 gee to get up to half light speed. After another 8.6 years of cruising the spacecraft arrive near Sol. The solar laser power satellite beams energy to the spacecraft for six months, slowing it at a 1 gee rate for 6 months - bringing it to rest relative to the Solar system - and then driving it to whatever planet its returning to (presumably Earth) I for one happen to like it, and I'd even help fund it with my 50/50 matching of public loot to go along with Mook’s cache of Rothschild private loot. ~ BG |
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