New, powerful laser system proposed for the International Space Station’s defense

zmescience.com ^ | May 16th, 2018 at 5:39 pm by Alexandru Micu E-mail author | Alexandru Micu

[DBrow]

I’ve launched little pieces of molybdenum with a switched Nd:YAG- I suspended a Mb “coin” on a string and whacked it. There was a flash and a POP and the coin moved. I measured the max angle of the coin on its thread to determine the energy transferred, and weighed the coin to see how much spalled off.

[Ozark Tom]

If they have combined high energy and short pulse capability, then a plasma pulse originating on the debris surface could serve as rocket propulsion to alter the trajectory.

There is a possible targeting approach in which a low powered and wide angle strobe of laser illumination is reflected from a target at close range. The reflected laser light is amplified within the laser medium, and forms a full power laser pulse complementary to the reflection, which then hits the target. This provides self-aiming if the strobe pulse timing window from tracking, places the target in the effective range.

At high relative velocities, this would only work within a narrow cone of approach or retreat, as the target would otherwise present ever increasing displacement errors, even with light speed travel. Perhaps the active mirror focusing system with a pre-calculated beam slew could compensate for the larger movement errors during a shot.

[Ozark Tom]

Beam formed by combining multiple sources becomes too dispersed to be effective at a greater distance.

[Lurker]

“and weighed the coin to see how much spalled off.”

Don’t keep us in suspense, man!

LOL

L

[Ozark Tom]

Poke holes or blind a hostile?

[DBrow]

“Don’t keep us in suspense, man!”

I found that the acceleration was equal to the force divided by the mass. The regression line was quite accurate.

[rollo tomasi]

[Lurker]

How much mass was lost due to spalling?

Just curious.

Thanks in advance.

L

[RinaseaofDs]

It’s the ISS, essentially it’s like arming the UN building in NYC.

Useless against micro meteorites. Can’t be used as any kind of military asset. No good against an existential threat from a big rock hitting us.

Defend against Romulans entering the Neutral Zone?

[chrisser]

The whole system would weigh about 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds).

That's well within the capacity of a standard half ton pickup truck bed.

I'm thinking this might be a fun way to hunt feral hogs...

[Little Ray]

Cool!
Quantitative analysis is the way to go!

[DBrow]

I’d need to go back and look it up, it’s in the report, and it was a while ago during Star Wars research. Not much, as I recall. Once the plasma forms the light can’t reach the substrate very well, so the amount of energy is limited. The beam was focused to a tight spot, so not that much Mb was exposed.

[Lurker]

Thanks. I remember that being an issue with lasers. The plasma created diffuses the beam thus scattering it. Do I have that about right?

L