New concepts for Space-Based and Ground-Based Laser Weapons
نویسنده
چکیده
Is the Department of Defense (DOD) pursuing the correct investment strategy for space-based laser weapons? Recent advances in lasers, optics, and spacecraft technologies may bring high-energy laser weapons to a sufficient level of maturity for serious consideration as space weapons against the theater ballistic missile threat. However, these technological advances also make other architectures possible, such as the use of terrestrial laser sources with space-based relay mirrors or a mixed force of space-based lasers with orbiting relay mirrors. An important question is how these dramatic technology improvements have affected the strategic employment concepts for high-energy laser weapons. This study presents a comparison of competing space-based architectures given the progress made with high-energy lasers, large optics, and atmospheric compensation techniques within the past several years. Three space-based architectures are evaluated against the potential ballistic missile threat: space-based lasers, ground-based lasers in conjunction with orbiting mirrors, and a combined approach using space-based lasers with orbiting mirrors. The study evaluates the technological risks and estimates the development and deployment costs. In addition, technology development programs are described for each of the architectures so that the high-risk areas will be better understood. The conclusion of this study is that the most technologically sound and cost-effective architecture is to use spacebased lasers with orbiting mirrors. This approach not only minimizes the overall technological risk but also reduces the total weight and, therefore, cost of placing these weapon systems on orbit.
منابع مشابه
Evaluating the effectiveness of teaching nature-based strategies on the Bioarchitecture design process
Introduction: At a time when modern rational man saw himself as the source of all values and saw nature as an inexhaustible source of raw materials for the development of industry and the satisfaction of his needs, architecture became a tool for meeting the physical and material needs of man. The spread of this thinking led to many problems, including environmental crises; In order to improve...
متن کاملDesign of a new asymmetric waveguide in InP-Based multi-quantum well laser
Today, electron leakage in InP-based separate confinement laser diode has a serious effect on device performance. Control of electron leakage current is the aim of many studies in semiconductor laser industry. In this study, for the first time, a new asymmetric waveguide structure with n-interlayer for a 1.325 μm InP-based laser diode with InGaAsP multi-quantum well is proposed and theoreticall...
متن کاملThe High-energy Laser Tomorrow’s Weapon to Improve Force Protection
issue 64, 1 st quarter 2012 / JFQ 115 T hink about the current laser designation capability used to direct precision-guided munitions (PGMs) to destroy an enemy target. Now, imagine replacing that laser designator with a high-energy laser (HEL) weapon that emits enough thermal energy to directly render a target ineffective without using a conventional munition. That HEL weapon will affect targe...
متن کاملEffects of Space Flight on the Chemical Constituents and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch)
Licorice, the oldest Chinese traditional medicine, is widely used in the treatment of human diseases. Due to the deficiency of wild resource, selecting and breeding becomes a key issue to expanding the supply of licorice. Spaceflight technology will become a new method for medicinal plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of spaceflight on the components and anti-inflamma...
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
عنوان ژورنال:
دوره شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2001