4 ms·

You’ve commented this twice. I’ve never read about any technology approaching this. Lasers are in tests to defeat small, slow, low altitude drones. If anyone c

You’ve commented this twice. I’ve never read about any technology approaching this. Lasers are in tests to defeat small, slow, low altitude drones. If anyone could shoot down an entire satellite constellation with lasers then that would mean all air defense is solved. Planes and missiles are much slower, closer, and larger than Starlink satellites.

HWR_14 5y ago
In fairness, Starlink satellites are vulnerable to space based lasers, in ways that planes and missiles are not. Also, unlike planes/missiles the last doesn't have to destroy the satellite. Frying the receiver or damaging the solar cells would be sufficient.
Kv0Fk756x 5y ago
Here's the DIA publication[0] that briefly goes over space and ground based laser threats on pages 9 and 10. Here's the non-proliferation association also warning about ground based ASAT from RU and CN[1]. If they're doing it it's safe to assume US is also doing it. I think you're probably thinking of the lasers on ships and planes, which would have limited power. Stationary ground based systems don't have the same constraints and are more of a threat for asat. [0] https://www.dia.mil/Portals/27/Documents/News/Military%20Power%20Publications/Space_Threat_V14_020119_sm.pdf https://www.dia.mil/Portals/27/Documents/News/Military%20Pow... [1] https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/law_national_security/july-2020-space-report.pdf https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/l...
- iamnotwhoiam 5y ago
  I'm sure there's a lot of things the military has done once or twice at immense cost in controlled settings. They (or you?) said a superpower can currently take down Starlink with lasers. That's just not true, and the fact that technology demonstrations have happened doesn't make it true.

4 ms·

You’ve commented this twice. I’ve never read about any technology approaching this. Lasers are in tests to defeat small, slow, low altitude drones. If anyone c

by iamnotwhoiam 5y ago

HWR_14 5y ago
In fairness, Starlink satellites are vulnerable to space based lasers, in ways that planes and missiles are not. Also, unlike planes/missiles the last doesn't have to destroy the satellite. Frying the receiver or damaging the solar cells would be sufficient.
Kv0Fk756x 5y ago
Here's the DIA publication[0] that briefly goes over space and ground based laser threats on pages 9 and 10. Here's the non-proliferation association also warning about ground based ASAT from RU and CN[1]. If they're doing it it's safe to assume US is also doing it. I think you're probably thinking of the lasers on ships and planes, which would have limited power. Stationary ground based systems don't have the same constraints and are more of a threat for asat. [0] https://www.dia.mil/Portals/27/Documents/News/Military%20Power%20Publications/Space_Threat_V14_020119_sm.pdf https://www.dia.mil/Portals/27/Documents/News/Military%20Pow... [1] https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/law_national_security/july-2020-space-report.pdf https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/administrative/l...
- iamnotwhoiam 5y ago
  I'm sure there's a lot of things the military has done once or twice at immense cost in controlled settings. They (or you?) said a superpower can currently take down Starlink with lasers. That's just not true, and the fact that technology demonstrations have happened doesn't make it true.