2 ms·
It takes a fair amount of delta-v to "drop" something from Lunar orbit to Earth. It also takes a long time to reach its target. Accurate targeting would be a ch
by karatestomp 7y ago
It takes a fair amount of delta-v to "drop" something from Lunar orbit to Earth. It also takes a long time to reach its target. Accurate targeting would be a challenge without active guidance. Even hitting a city would be a bit tricky, and if you're firing projectiles that can flatten large areas such that you don't need accurate targeting everyone's gonna treat that like a nuke, so you may as well just use nukes. I find it hard to believe the costs of establishing and maintaining even an automated Lunar launch system of this sort would be anywhere near worth it, compared with many other options.
- leetcrew 7y agoas I understand it, "fair amount of delta-v" is quite the understatement. the delta-v needed to realize that gravitational potential energy is equivalent to the moon's orbital velocity. aside from atmospheric drag in the launch phase, you're not saving much energy compared to strapping a bunch of rockets on an earth rock and letting it fall back down. much cheaper and more effective to deliver a nuke via ballistic missile.