5 ms·
Get the projectile up to mach 33 and it can shoot satellites out of orbit from the ground.
by dfilppi 7y ago
Get the projectile up to mach 33 and it can shoot satellites out of orbit from the ground.
- lm28469 7y agoMaking a satellite capable of surviving the launch will be the second part of the problem.
- keiru 7y ago"shoot satellites out of orbit", not "into orbit"
- fooker 7y agoSame fundamental problem.
- RantyDave 7y agoExcept that in one case they thing you're trying to launch is a tonne of assorted electronics, and in the other case it's two kilos of tungsten.
- Balero 7y agoNot really. Orbit isn't just about getting up there. It's about moving fast enough when you are up there. To destroy something in orbit, you just need to get the projectile up there. You don't also have to get it up to escape velocity.
- wolf550e 7y agoNo. If your projectile reaches altitude of target satellite with 0 velocity, hangs for a moment and starts to fall down, but then is impacted at relative velocity of kilometers per second by a satellite, your weapon (or Kessler syndrome trigger) works. It doesn't need orbital velocity at altitude, only the altitude. That is a lot lower energy!
- keiru 7y agoOn top of everything else commented, there's the matter of how delicate you need to be about it. I do hope no one ever tries to down a satellite with a railgun, as debris might create a runaway effect that brings about a dark night. Use lasers, be responsible.
- keiru 7y agoIt's going to be interesting to see non-state actors get their hands on a railgun. Possibly handed by a state actor, of course.
- kosievdmerwe 7y agoGiven how hard it is for the US to build a working system, I don't think this is a legitimate concern for many, many decades at the least.
- IanSanders 7y agoSame applies to nukes, and now I'm scared
- rtkwe 7y agoYeah there's been several scifi books written where the ease of access to things like diy-bio and manufacturing being miniaturized pose a huge threat by letting more and more people have access to the ability to make a new plague or bombs. Rainbow's End by Vernor Vinge is one I'm fond of.
- Armisael16 7y agoYou don’t remotely need to hit escape velocity. If your aim is good enough you just need to lift your projectile high enough - the satellite brings plenty of relative velocity.