Skip to comments.
Scientists develop mini Death Star to protect us from asteroids
The Telegraph ^
| March 3, 2016
| Rob Crilly
Posted on 03/03/2016 4:50:09 PM PST by McGruff
It sounds like a weapon straight out of Star Wars. Imagine the Death Star's superlaser used not to destroy worlds but to protect our own from approaching asteroids.
That is the concept being developed by American researchers who believe they have found a way to use a high-power laser beam to deflect space rocks that are on course to hit Earth.
The idea has been around for years but the team at the University of California say laboratory tests show their De-Star - or Directed Energy System for Targeting of Asteroids and exploRation could actually work.
They envisage putting an unmanned De-Star craft in orbit. At the first sign of a impending disaster it would target the asteroid with a high-energy laser, causing part of the rock to vaporise in a process known as sublimation.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
TOPICS: Astronomy; Conspiracy; UFO's
KEYWORDS: decomposition
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-30 last
To: Luircin
Where's that assteroid again?
21
posted on
05/03/2016 11:01:52 AM PDT
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
To: Elsie
"...Over a period of time, the asteroid is deflected from its original course..."
"...Only if the thing is not rotating..."
Actually, yes, even if the thing is rotating, although that makes the energy requirements of the laser go up somewhat, but not much.
The laser heats a spot where you want the "jet" to occur, and with enough laser power, that happens in just a few seconds. As the asteroid rotates beneath the laser beam, other areas of the rock are vaporized, but the direction of the impulse remains the same. It would just create a linear scar on the asteroid, instead of a simple "hole" of ejected material. The key is that the craft delivering the laser is at "station keeping".
You can even use the laser to first stop the asteroid's tumbling, if desired.
Here is a link to a video testing a laser on a small rotating rock, to illustrate the principle:
Small Scale Test of Laser Ablation
22
posted on
05/03/2016 12:06:20 PM PDT
by
Rebel_Ace
(HITLER! There, Zero to Godwin in 5.2 seconds.)
To: McGruff
Yea, right......Asteroids today, planets tomorrow. That’s how intergalactic wars get started.........
23
posted on
05/03/2016 12:10:40 PM PDT
by
Hot Tabasco
(Why is John McCain no longer referred to as "THE MAVERICK"?)
To: myself
They envisage putting an unmanned De-Star craft in orbit.De-Star...De-Star.
24
posted on
05/03/2016 12:15:31 PM PDT
by
McGruff
(Denial ain't just a river in Egypt - Mark Twain)
To: Rebel_Ace
Ablation.
THAT’s the word I was thinking of.
25
posted on
05/03/2016 1:02:19 PM PDT
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
To: Rebel_Ace
The laser heats a spot where you want the "jet" to occur...And the ideal spot would be 90° away from the direction it is heading towards us.
The problem; as I see it; is that the laser would be quite near Earth and the jet would be mainly on the lead surface.
Slowing it down, but not deflecting it away.
26
posted on
05/03/2016 1:06:04 PM PDT
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
To: Rebel_Ace
Let’s do a lab experiment.
Hang a rock on a pedulum in a vacuum.
Pulse that sucker with the largest cutting laser we have now.
Measure the deflection.
Scale up.
27
posted on
05/03/2016 1:07:35 PM PDT
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
To: Hot Tabasco
Yup.
Miss the asteroid and the light goes on FOREVER!
If it hits near Marvin; he’ll be, shall we say; PISSED!
28
posted on
05/03/2016 1:09:07 PM PDT
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
To: Elsie
And the ideal spot would be 90° away from the direction it is heading towards us.
The problem; as I see it; is that the laser would be quite near Earth and the jet would be mainly on the lead surface.
The laser is on a spacecraft sent TO the asteroid. The spacecraft holds a “station keeping” position near the asteroid, and wails away on it with its laser. The jet would directed in whatever vector that would optimize deflection.
29
posted on
05/03/2016 3:30:11 PM PDT
by
Rebel_Ace
(HITLER! There, Zero to Godwin in 5.2 seconds.)
To: Rebel_Ace
Seems like whatever power source was on the spacecraft with the laser could be more efficiently used if it were merely a booster to push the rock as needed.
30
posted on
05/03/2016 7:55:40 PM PDT
by
Elsie
(Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20, 21-30 last
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson