[extropy-chat] Re: sole superpower/warfare 2003-2010 comments

Mike Lorrey mlorrey at yahoo.com
Sun Dec 14 02:48:15 UTC 2003


--- "Robert J. Bradbury" <bradbury at aeiveos.com> wrote:
> 
> One problem is that I think most lasers systems are currently
> designed to deliver heat (melt the incomings, fuse the pellets,
> etc.).
> One would need a shift in design strategies if one wants to use them
> for non-destructive propulsion purposes.

The lasers are fine for the purpose, you just dont need to focus them
so well into a given square inch of target. You let the thrust cone of
the launcher focus the light enough to ignite the air passing through
and heat the rest enough to expand for useful thrust. You are going to
need a lot of lasers, though, to boost several dozen tons of cargo into
orbit. Plus a lot of power for those lasers, prolly a couple nukes that
currently don't exist.

=====
Mike Lorrey
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
                                       - Gen. John Stark
"Fascists are objectively pro-pacifist..."
                                       - Mike Lorrey
Do not label me, I am an ism of one...
Sado-Mikeyism: http://mikeysoft.zblogger.com

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