News:

Unnecessarily argumentative

Main Menu

Rods From God

Started by Arturo, November 04, 2016, 05:16:56 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Arturo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_bombardment

These are satellite weapons that shoot rods from space directly into the earth.
It's Okay To Say You're Welcome
     Just let people be themselves.
     Arturo The1  リ壱

Tank

A visualisation on Mass Drivers from Babylon 5

If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Arturo

Ha is this a joke? Or are you teasing me?
It's Okay To Say You're Welcome
     Just let people be themselves.
     Arturo The1  リ壱

Dave

The idea if KEWs  is quite old in sci-fi, from depleted uranium rods to lumps of rock, and features in one of Gregg Bear's books, "Mariposa" IIRC, where it is a US sattelite weapon used against terrorists in Mecca.

Tailorable from "micro-strikes" to larger ones from existing possible technology or near extinction events if you have space ships to gather big enough rocks to throw! 

Not sure how practical it  is in fact though, but would rather such be used than tactical or strategic nuclear weapons.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Recusant

Quote from: Gloucester on November 04, 2016, 10:17:33 AM
The idea if KEWs  is quite old in sci-fi, from depleted uranium rods to lumps of rock, and features in one of Gregg Bear's books, "Mariposa" IIRC, where it is a US sattelite weapon used against terrorists in Mecca.

Yes, it goes back to at least Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress (1966) if not before.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Dark Lightning

Niven and Pournelle used them in "Footfall". I think they called them "crowbars". From a technology perspective, I'd use land based rockets instead. It costs cubic money to put something in orbit. Once there, orbital maneuvering even from station keeping will eventually use the Attitude Control System's fuel. Unless refueling is a viable option- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotic_Refueling_Mission the system then becomes useless. Magnetic torquers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetorquer are a possibility for attitude control that could extend the life of the spacecraft.

You'd have to have a lot of them, because
A) a quick response time requires a low earth orbit (LEO), and of
B) the limited view of the earth from LEO for a particular strike zone

Tank

Quote from: Apathy on November 04, 2016, 09:19:32 AM
Ha is this a joke? Or are you teasing me?
Why would it be either?
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Arturo

Quote from: Tank on November 04, 2016, 08:49:11 PM
Quote from: Apathy on November 04, 2016, 09:19:32 AM
Ha is this a joke? Or are you teasing me?
Why would it be either?

I was in a situation with harsh people right before I posted that, so some of that carried over to what I perceived was going on with your post. But guessing from your response, it was not either a joke or a tease.
It's Okay To Say You're Welcome
     Just let people be themselves.
     Arturo The1  リ壱

Tank

Quote from: Apathy on November 04, 2016, 08:56:54 PM
Quote from: Tank on November 04, 2016, 08:49:11 PM
Quote from: Apathy on November 04, 2016, 09:19:32 AM
Ha is this a joke? Or are you teasing me?
Why would it be either?

I was in a situation with harsh people right before I posted that, so some of that carried over to what I perceived was going on at the time. But guessing from your response, it was not either a joke or a tease.
Quite so. I just thought you'd like to see the mass drivers.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Arturo

Quote from: Tank on November 04, 2016, 09:01:19 PM
Quote from: Apathy on November 04, 2016, 08:56:54 PM
Quote from: Tank on November 04, 2016, 08:49:11 PM
Quote from: Apathy on November 04, 2016, 09:19:32 AM
Ha is this a joke? Or are you teasing me?
Why would it be either?

I was in a situation with harsh people right before I posted that, so some of that carried over to what I perceived was going on at the time. But guessing from your response, it was not either a joke or a tease.
Quite so. I just thought you'd like to see the mass drivers.

Oh yes it reminded me that I wanted to post a video of a simulation from a simulator but then changed my mind. When you responded, I reconsidered.

Anyways, here is a simulation of what (I'm guessing) is improvised "rods from god" used in the simulator "Kerbal Space Program".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0zkhQFHNac
The way they acquired the satellite is through a mod for the game.
It's Okay To Say You're Welcome
     Just let people be themselves.
     Arturo The1  リ壱