3 ms·
> what being hit by an icbm looks like Here's what a MIRV attack looks like (with dummy warheads): http://www.osborneink.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/MIRV.p
by cynwoody 14y ago
> what being hit by an icbm looks like
Here's what a MIRV attack looks like (with dummy warheads):
http://www.osborneink.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/MIRV.png http://www.osborneink.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/MIRV.pn...
With a meteor, the energy is all kinetic. With an ICBM, the kinetic energy is incidental to the delivery method. The payload energy is all nuclear.
- ck2 14y agoWell that's positively terrifying.
- dhimes 14y agoWhy are the trajectories straight?
- cynwoody 14y agoThat's what struck me about the MIRV test photo the first time I saw it. Of course, the apparent straight lines are really just the far ends of very flat parabolic curves. Unlike meteors, MIRV warheads are designed to make it to the ground (or the intended airburst location) undamaged and with a 50% probability of coming down within 100m of the target. Once released, the warheads have no maneuvering capability and follow ballistic trajectories, minimally distorted by the rapidly thickening atmosphere. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_independently_targetable_reentry_vehicle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_independently_targetab... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-V6MZlyCqE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-V6MZlyCqE (Animated depiction of MIRV flight)
- dhimes 14y agoThank you for those links. The things are coming in damn fast.