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Subject:
Laser anti-missile weapons
Category: Science Asked by: haphazard-ga List Price: $10.00 |
Posted:
20 Apr 2003 03:39 PDT
Expires: 20 May 2003 03:39 PDT Question ID: 192911 |
The USA's "Star Wars" program is looking at laser weapons to explode missiles. What if the missiles were covered in a mirrored surface? Would the killer lasers reflect off harmlessly? Would this simple solution make all that weapon technology useless? |
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Subject:
Re: Laser anti-missile weapons
Answered By: techtor-ga on 20 Apr 2003 08:54 PDT Rated: |
Greetings Haphazard, and thank you for your interesting question. Someone thought of the same thing as you did. I wonder if the person who wrote this message was you as well: Message on March 29, 1999 - <nettime> hardware speculations digest [human being, mediafilter] http://amsterdam.nettime.org/Lists-Archives/nettime-l-9903/msg00127.html I disagree with his opinion though, since the thought that a mirror always reflects a laser is quite an urban legend. In the Military Analysis Network page listed below, note what is said in the Characteristics of materials subtitle: If light rays strike a mirror, almost all of the energy incident on the mirror will be reflected. *Almost all*, but not really ALL of the energy is reflected. It is possible if the laser beam has enough strength, some of the energy may even penetrate the mirror and cause damage to the missile. A laser is not only light, but also has some force and even heat in it, so that force can shatter or melt the glass. I also feel that a missile with mirrors all over would also be unlikely, since a missile at launch and in flight is subject to serious vibration and shock, which glass today certainly wouldnt stand up to. If youre thinking of high stress glass like that of jet cockpits, then there is the wear and tear of drag on the missile could erode the mirror surfaces and reduce reflectivity. Of course the jet cockpit has minimal glass and doesnt go through the same stress as a missile. Also, there is always one opening a mirror cant cover in the missile, which is the exhaust. A laser through there could knock out the missile. You might also note that some laser weapon systems use mirrors (mostly ground-based and airborne laser systems). These mirrors are actually meant for focusing the laser beam, probably since it loses power when it travels in an atmosphere. They would also be definitely attuned to the wavelength of the laser, so they wouldnt break. These mirrors are used mainly to correct deviations in the path of the laser. Using an ordinary mirror as a laser though would be relegated to the realm of fantasy. If shield mirrors would be used, they might have to be made of an outlandish material that would also be very expensive. Sources: Military Analysis Network - Laser Fundamentals http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/navy/docs/laser/fundamentals.htm A - SOL:LASER COUNTERMEASURES STUDY (11/30/95) http://www.fbodaily.com/cbd/archive/1995/11(November)/30-Nov-1995/Asol001.htm Phun Physics - Laser light show Demonstration http://phun.physics.virginia.edu/demos/laser.html - The laser here is different from what is used in satellite-based laser weapon systems. Homebuilt Lasers Page - Lasing Mechanisms http://www.technology.niagarac.on.ca/people/mcsele/lasers/Mechanism.htm Links to documents on space lasers: Space Based Laser concepts http://210.79.226.16:81/cetin2/report/tmd/nmdzl/sbl/sbl.htm Laser Options for National Missile Defense http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/program/docs/98-165.htm Space Based Laser profile http://en.afit.edu/enp/de/sbl.pdf A Brief History of the Missile Defense System http://members.fortunecity.com/volcanopele/Factual_Report.htm Space.com - Space Laser project heats up http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/space_laser_001127.html Schedule for Airborne Laser testing http://www.airbornelaser.com/special/abl/schedules/milestones.html Search terms used: laser reflect mirror mechanics laser reflect mirror physics laser countermeasures laser missile mirror/mirrors Other research tools: personal knowledge I hoe this has been a satisfactory answer. If you have a problem with this answer, do please post a request for clarification. Thank you. |
haphazard-ga
rated this answer:
Great answer, and nice to have links to sources. Thanks! |
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Subject:
Re: Laser anti-missile weapons
From: ryanuk-ga on 20 Apr 2003 04:55 PDT |
The idea of mirrors does seem viable if you want to find more about the system head towars the lockheed web site, though the starwars project mainly is a 3d radar based systems which finds a target indentifies it and then launches a counter missile towards the target to make a direct hit with the offending missle. |
Subject:
Re: Laser anti-missile weapons
From: alan0-ga on 20 Apr 2003 06:17 PDT |
There are two things to consider: (1) What you mean by a "mirror". A mirror reflects light at a range of wavelengths (colours). Different Lasers can be produce light at different wavelengths, many of which are not visible to the eye and not necessarily reflected by a mirror. By choosing a laser at a particular wavelength (even lower wavelength than ultra violet) the "mirror" may not be effective. Lasers emit light at one specific wavelength so I guess that the "star wars" weapon would consist of several lasers of different wavelengths (or a tunable laser) so that it could not easily be reflected in this way. (2) The total energy in the laser pulse. If the pulse of energy (light) from the laser was high enough then it could destroy the missile even if it reflected a high percentage of the laser light. |
Subject:
Re: Laser anti-missile weapons
From: neilzero-ga on 20 Apr 2003 08:36 PDT |
A highly reflective surface all over the missle might require 20 times more laser energy to pierce the skin of the missle. I don't think more than about 95% reflectivity is possible. Because the missle is very fast, tiny dust particles in the air quickly degrade the mirror surface. I presume a tiny robot is possible that polishes the surfaces as the missle flies. With an exta minute of advance warning, it should be possible to exploded a dust bomb ahead of the missle which releases very abrasive dust, which might also blind the missle causing it to miss its target. Neil |
Subject:
Re: Laser anti-missile weapons
From: krobert-ga on 22 Apr 2003 07:07 PDT |
The question/answers/comments seems to skirt the topic of the producability of such a device. A mirrored-missile would cost so much to produce that it wouldn't be viable. Nonetheless... The comments made above that the mirrored surface would not last in the atmosphere are quite true. Especially when you consider that a typical ICBM (which is what the "star wars" system is supposed to protect against) travels supersonically, and ideally hypersonically to try to avoid getting hit by a laser or missile before striking its target. krobert-ga |
Subject:
Re: Laser anti-missile weapons
From: kb5zcr-ga on 27 Apr 2003 14:25 PDT |
It seems that a glass mirror would not be possible but perhaps having the missle housed in a polished steel (like chrome) coating might reduce the engery assorbed from the laser. |
Subject:
Re: Laser anti-missile weapons
From: techtor-ga on 27 Apr 2003 22:01 PDT |
I must make a correction here. My sentence in the third large paragraph which reads, "Using an ordinary mirror as a laser though..." should read "Using an ordinary mirror as a deflector/shield..." |
Subject:
Re: Laser anti-missile weapons
From: mkossler-ga on 30 Apr 2003 14:07 PDT |
While these ideas are interesting, to the best of my knowledge the issue of laser-based damage to high-speed missles was addressed shortly after the concept was espoused. The answer, as I remember it, was relatively straightforward: the use of refractive material embedded in the missile housing's coating, together with a design makes the missile spin at a high rate has it travels. Apparently the comination was sufficient, and I do not belive that anyone is intently pursuing anti-missile lasers from a damage perspective since. I would be interested and grateful to learn of any concrete information to the contrary- Cheers, Matt |
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