[117293] in Cypherpunks
Re: Orbital Weapons Platform
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Sean Roach)
Mon Aug 30 23:18:04 1999
Message-Id: <3.0.6.32.19990830215738.007d7100@mail.intplsrv.net>
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 21:57:38 -0500
To: cypherpunks@algebra.com
From: Sean Roach <roach_s@mail.intplsrv.net>
In-Reply-To: <199908300530.WAA18825@acid.bpm.ai>
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Reply-To: Sean Roach <roach_s@mail.intplsrv.net>
At 10:30 PM 8/29/99 -0700, BPM Mixmaster Remailer wrote:
>
...
>Persuing a collection of old X-files episodes I found one dealing
>with the use of high intensity particle beams fired from said
>satellites. I think just from the power consumption needs this would
>fail due to limitations of solar power cells. Is there such a system
>in place? Is the current power technology sophisticated enough?
I don't know if such a system might have been launched, but it would have
been counter to one of the SALT treaties, I think.
If I recall my (biased) college lessons right, the whole reason for making
a star wars type program an issue in the SALT treaties was because we were
more balanced in a "mexican standoff". The idea that neither one of us
would survive cept either of us from firing. That and our scientists said
that it wouldn't work anywat. I paraphrase my professor, from 4 years ago.
If you knock out 90% of the warheads, that leaves 10%. And since several
warheads would be heading to every major town anyway, you'd still die. End
paraphrase.
But remember that you don't HAVE to use solar power to power a satellite.
Nuclear works just fine.
Sean Roach
