There has been a LOT of casual speculation about the “Rods of God vs Fat Boy” theory.
Problem is we don’t/didn’t have the lift capacity to get ‘em into orbit. A tungsten telephone pole is HEAVY - about 20 tons. A SpaceX Falcon 9 (current common-lift rocket) can only take _one_ up; the Falcon Heavy could lift 3.
So while the prospects of that scenario are tantalizing, the ugly fact is we can’t lift any up there without getting noticed.
I am actually a proponent of RFG, I think its a powerful idea. But I know a few practical things that will for the foreseeable future prevent us from deploying such a system.
First, space systems are really expensive, and in most cases, once you launch its impossible to update anything but software. So what goes on orbit has to last for many years in the future using yesterdays technology.
Second, orbit dynamics means it takes lots of satellite to cover the globe with a capability to respond anytime and anywhere. Combine that with the expense of the system, and you can probably get a lot more by investing in Earth launched hypersonic systems. If I can get anywhere on the globe with hypersonics in 20 minutes, that’s as good as having to wait possibly hours for a satellite to get where the orbit mechanics are favorable to launch RFG. And its easier to maintain the hypersonic vehicle in the hanger.
Third, none of this is going to happen without someone knowing we have the capability or that we used it. If we had RFG’d the NK site, both Russia and China would know, and that would lead to all kinds of other problems.
Not sure that orbit is needed. If a KEP is delivered from the stratosphere or above would it need to be a 20 ton projectile? Terminal velocity would probably be a given and the projectile would be sized for the mission. Could be done without encroaching on their airspace (toss bombing) and if done with stealth tech, what would anybody know except for something that has multiple possible explanations.
No knowledge, just speculation!