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What Would a Realistic Space Battle Look Like?
Universe Today ^ | 10/21/2020 | Evan Gough

Posted on 10/21/2020 7:43:37 PM PDT by LibWhacker

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To: LibWhacker
What Would a Realistic Space Battle Look Like?

Maybe some flashes of light, a puff of vapor, and an expanding cloud of metal fragments and shredded kapton foil. Sunlight reflecting off that debris might be visible in the daytime sky, like glitter.

I won't look like a "cinematic" space battle with flaming explosions.

41 posted on 10/21/2020 8:59:29 PM PDT by Spirochete
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To: reg45

The least realistic space battles was in the TV show “Space Above” or something like that. Our spaceships had machine guns that were used to hit/destroy enemy rocket-ships.

The article basically leaves out the use of both small thru large atomic bombs against certain types of enemy craft/satellites. I don’t know what the explosive effects range of a nuke in space it, but in theory the shock waves (of gases/explosives forces, not air pressure per say) would knock out anything within a multi-mile radius, just as a Daisy Cutter or MOAB does on earth (re air pressure and some explosive pressure flatting targets up to a fifth-of-a-mile away (900 ft radius for the old DCs, in Nam and Afghanistan).

What I don’t know is how the bomb would be launched/maneuvered while in space against a moving target that is not necessarily on the same orbital altitude. Perhaps the weapon would be a self-maneuvering or electronically guide system that would continually move towards the target, taking into consideration, gravity, orbital levels, intercept paths, or just shotgun scattering effects.

Also bombs loaded with ball-bearings and other smaller projectiles, packed in by the thousands, could shred a large target like a shotgun full of buckshot would do to a target (aka “Swiss cheese time, folks”).

It’s going to be an interesting show, folks, much like those George Nouri used to watch nightly with his special pair of binoculars/telescopes.


42 posted on 10/21/2020 9:11:31 PM PDT by MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
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To: DCBryan1

And just like that, it is confirmed that my faith in this site — nay, humanity itself — is well-placed! :D


43 posted on 10/21/2020 9:16:34 PM PDT by Retrofitted
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To: MadMax, the Grinning Reaper
I don’t know what the explosive effects range of a nuke in space it, but in theory the shock waves (of gases/explosives forces, not air pressure per say) would knock out anything within a multi-mile radius

No shock wave or fireball in hard vacuum. A nuclear detonation would look like a flashbulb popping off; a brief burst of intense light, x-rays, and a shower of neutrons. The only thing that can form a blast wave is the vaporized reside of the bomb itself.

All of this came from research into bomb propulsion for interplanetary craft - Project Orion 1957 - 1964.

44 posted on 10/21/2020 9:28:34 PM PDT by Spirochete
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To: LibWhacker

Battle in space would not have Star Wars sound effects.


45 posted on 10/21/2020 9:38:33 PM PDT by attiladhun2
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To: LibWhacker

It would literally be the most boring battle scenes ever recorded.


46 posted on 10/21/2020 9:38:41 PM PDT by freedomjusticeruleoflaw (Strange that a man with his wealth would have to resort to prostitution.)
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To: LibWhacker
Big noise, smoke, and sparks.

Everybody leans one way. Some stagger in that direction and almost fall.

Another big noise. More smoke and sparks.

Everybody leans the other way. Some stagger in that direction and almost fall.

47 posted on 10/21/2020 9:57:04 PM PDT by x
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To: LibWhacker

48 posted on 10/21/2020 9:57:51 PM PDT by x
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To: LibWhacker
They'd be like, pew, pew, pew!   And I'd be like pew, pew, pew!
49 posted on 10/21/2020 10:05:30 PM PDT by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken)
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To: a fool in paradise
What can be done to knock out their communications satellite or take out their home base on Earth?

Killer satellites are like maneuverable claymore mines with search and locate functions.   They get it in proximity to the enemy satellite and give it a broadside blast.   The shrapnel takes it out.   The Soviets were rumored to have had them in the 1980's and even tested them.   I feel sure our capabilities would be much better now.     I also suspect there might be energy weapons available to reduce the space trash.

50 posted on 10/21/2020 10:43:10 PM PDT by higgmeister ( In the Shadow of The Big Chicken)
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To: LibWhacker

The Iranian chick is pure torture and nearly ruins it. Other than that it’s grest.


51 posted on 10/22/2020 1:47:43 AM PDT by angmo (#joeknew)
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To: LibWhacker

Watch the series “The Expanse”. Rail guns rule.


52 posted on 10/22/2020 1:51:00 AM PDT by mad_as_he$$ (Why can't we just get into the running car?)
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To: x

The pictures in the posts on this thread should be hysterical by the morning....

That was my post. First one on the thread.

Thanks for not disappointing! :)


53 posted on 10/22/2020 2:10:29 AM PDT by dp0622 (Tried a coup, a fake tax story, tramp slander, Russia nonsense, impeachment and a virus. They lost.)
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To: LibWhacker

Consider if an enemy were to destroy the GPS network. The US military heavily relies on GPS for everything from directing bombs and artillery shells to navigating Navy ships at sea. Could our defense capability be crippled by taking out GPS in a space Pearl Harbor attack?


54 posted on 10/22/2020 7:37:28 AM PDT by The Great RJ ("Socialists are happy until they run out of other people's money." Margaret Thatche)
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To: LibWhacker

Consider if an enemy were to destroy the GPS network. The US military heavily relies on GPS for everything from directing bombs and artillery shells to navigating Navy ships at sea. Could our defense capability be crippled by taking out GPS in a space Pearl Harbor attack?


55 posted on 10/22/2020 7:37:31 AM PDT by The Great RJ ("Socialists are happy until they run out of other people's money." Margaret Thatche)
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To: The Great RJ

Personally, I believe so. OTOH, I vaguely recall reading some time ago that we could do just fine without it. Whether that involves a backup system already in place, or replacement sats on the ground ready to launch at a moment’s notice (presumably after taking out enemy anti-sat launch facilities), or some other technology of an entirely different nature, I do not know. I ain’t in that loop. :-)


56 posted on 10/22/2020 8:39:31 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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