[Centurion2000]

Something that others might not realize. This just rendered planes obsolete of airspace within LOS of this thing.

Sure a plane can dodge a SAM missile,but photons ? Not a chance in hell.

[Poohbah]

Sure a plane can dodge a SAM missile,but photons ? Not a chance in hell.

It's not so much dodging photons as in maneuvering enough to keep the photons from concentrating on one spot for a sufficient period of time.

[1stFreedom]

Well, one has to consider a few factors.

A space plane would be protected from heat. Traveling at mach 6-15, the skin would be enormously hot.

Secondly, there could possible be protection in the form of plasma, which might be able to disperse a laser.

Thirdly, I would think that space based sattelites would destroy ground based laser weapons platforms. Ie, we blow up your air defense lasers, and in about 1 hour later our hypersonic bombers will be dropping bombs on you.