ISS could be protected from orbital velocity impacts by Active laser defense system.

phys.org...

dust motes sand grains bits of metal and slightly larger stuff can be at least deflected off collision course by an active laser defense system coupled with a telescope target detector.


As you know one of the problems that will be encountered by fast space missions will be high velocity impactors that even just at orbital speed can burrow 16 CM tunnels through structural steel parts of the space station or space ships.

If we hope to go fast enough to make manned exploration of the solar system or even interstellar flight we have to have protection from even higher velocity impactors. I have put forward laser based active defense before. now here is a professional doing it not just some guy on a forum populated by dreamers and madmen.

a reply to: stormbringer1701

for high velocity travel would a conical plasma bow suffice for dealing with the smaller debris? anything of bigger size on the flight path could be pulverised to a more manageable size that the plasma could handle?

sandf dude

If you have thought about it, it already exits.
Think ahead of the curve.

originally posted by: fakedirt
a reply to: stormbringer1701

for high velocity travel would a conical plasma bow suffice for dealing with the smaller debris? anything of bigger size on the flight path could be pulverised to a more manageable size that the plasma could handle?

sandf dude

forthe smaller stuff which is 99.99999999 percent of it a mere magnetoplasma envelope would do.

a reply to: stormbringer1701

So........Slayer was right on the money then - 4 years ago

there is always great cross fertilization between the military and many things like space tech. after all making a ship that can withstand all the rigors of space travel makes it pretty impressive in both offensive and defensive capabilities. conversely all that military tech makes for a ship that can stand the rigors of space travel.

a reply to: skunkape23

What difference would thinking ahead of the curve do then? It would still already exist because you would still have "thought of it"... going by your rule of course.

But of course, in order for it to exist, someone, somewhere, would have had to think of it first, prior to it's existence.

engineering.dartmouth.edu...


M2P2 shield/plasma sail

science.nasa.gov...