Airborne Laser: Bonus or Boondoggle?

Here's a link that works regarding this subject:

http://www.spacedaily.com/news/laser-04v.html

Pretty interesting.

like alot of military developments, if they can work out the problems, there would be a number of nonmilitary uses derived from it.

but pouring money into it now is the question. do we have or close to having the the technology to develop it

or if we don't will the project be discontinued due to budget cuts?

Seems a damn site more likely to be successful than the interceptors/ star wars limited ballistic missle blah blah currently being boasted....

I agree with the nonmilitary befefits. The first would be the solar collector in space. It will collect vast amounts of clean power and only needs a way to get it through the atmosphere. This weapon would project power through the atmosphere.

sounds like telsa intents

Tesla certainly implied the feasibility. A 1km orbital solar collector has already been proposed. Maybe that high powered beam would put us on the other side of the ozone curve - i.e. a surplus instead of a hole in the layer.

and use up all my oxygen to make O2.......no way

The oxygen wouldn't be used up, it would be "sequestered"

It won't even work on a clear day!

Could such a system work in the rain or snow?

Seems highly unlikely.

Just another boondoggle to line defense contractors pockets!

If we want to fund laser research, lets not hide it in the defense budget!

One would guess the range would be highly classified, yet the long range effects of laser guidance seem well worth the cost of development.

Lase tight ropes are an efficient way of hearing and guiding many different things, to target. What limitations would there be in space?

you could add communications too

Nevertheless, clear enough skys at 40,000 are definitely a probablility.

Note that the date on this reference is 4 years old.

" ...........autonomously detect, track and destroy hostile ballistic missiles during the boost phase.."

My current understanding is that the system is useful well beyond the boost phase. My information is blase testimony of a 3rd party, at a party,
Christmas '06.

and people argued that SDI was a waste of money.

And that research for it is also a waste of money

dig deeper this can be a derivative of that.

History can show this is not true. research is an investment. unfortunately the only way to justify the money is national defence.

your comment;

"My current understanding is that the system is useful well beyond the boost phase. My information is blase testimony of a 3rd party, at a party,
Christmas '06."

interesting things you can hear at a party, (you may have to consider the circumstances how you heard it)

Research is good, I doubt the military is very good @ it.

Military research usually has a defined goal, which inhibits the scope.

Are particle accelerators defense related?

did not say the military was good at it. only implied at spending the research for it.

As far as particle accelerators being defense related, theres a good chance, at least as an reason for the expenditures. Could also be political to pour cash into a political constituents area.

Military doesn't do much research, they only do top level assembly and test. All the critical sub-systems are researched by a vast number of american companies under DARPA program. I mean they give us the money to do research, the project maybe works or maybe not, but we as a company have learned a lot in the process and we can apply that knowledge on future projects. Hehe. And this kind of money and jobs will never go to China.

Vive la guerre! I have a job.

"interesting things you can hear at a party, (you may have to consider the circumstances how you heard it)"

I did, or I would not have so characterized it...

The Tactical High-Energy Laser (THEL) laser illuminator can engage up to 60 nearly-simultaneous threats at a range of up to five kilometers, while maintaining a near-100 percent probability of success.

Again referring to the perhaps liquor-lubed discourse to which i first referred,

my recollection is that it included a reference to post-boost phase interdiction of warheads, but before they spawned their Multiple re-entry vehicles or dummys.

Also discussed was satellite siting of same, political restrictions relating to the issue, (testing which has allegedly already been effected despite that,) and early launch options of laser-armed killer satellites in the eventuality of conflict. Reflectivity protection was bandied about, and the general nature of nuclear - pulsed lasers capacity to overwhelm such protective measures was hinted at, although each satellite gets only one such pulse in it's self- destructive projection...

These recollections are vague, constitute 3rd party uncorraborated testimony, and were likely drunken pontifications based on fabrication and lies, and cannot be trusted in any way whatsoever.

For what it's worth...

"These recollections are vague, constitute 3rd party uncorraborated testimony, and were likely drunken pontifications based on fabrication and lies, and cannot be trusted in any way whatsoever. "

Somewhere there is truth there, just don't know where?

and that picture, there was a movie that had something simular......think Val Kilmer was in it.

With the increasing anti-nuke feelings in the world today, this is a much safer deterent. Additionally, the spin-off potentials are incredible. And having worked on the old SDI program and ALL (Airborn Laser Lab), I can assure you, the devices are highly feasible.

Well, you are just the guy to make some sense of my meanderings.

What about those nuclear lasers? (I guess that was sattelite, so may not have been in your experience...??)

Why not place them on water proof platforms that can be lowered in to lakes, bays or harbors to utilize them when needed. They can be auto-directed once energized.

1. Their dormant until needed.

2. Cheaper to build

3. Cheaper to maintain

4. Relocatable upon moments notice.

5. Can be hid from Satellites