[ExI] Obama Transition Team Examining Space Solar Power

[spike]

> ...On Behalf Of Keith Henson
> ...You are proposing that some non state 
> actor can launch enough mass to be a problem?
>

It has been repeatedly demonstrated that lifting stuff to orbit is waaay
more difficult than it appears to be.  Never mind all the super tricky
station placing that satellites require, just the control systems
engineering required to keep a rocket flying pointy end first is a daunting
engineering problem.  It would surely require the cooperation of an actual
government in the next twenty to fifty years.   

A secret launch is now completely impossible.  If a malicious group launched
a counter-orbiting truckload of sand, that act is a declaration of war
against every nation that has anything in LEO, which is a lotta smart,
capable and mean countries, all of which have nukes and the means to deliver
them to one's house if provoked.

Attacking anything in GEO would be exceedingly and reassuringly difficult
for a terrorist group, even a well funded one.

spike