On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 9:36 AM, Cameron Childress <[email protected]> wrote: > With lasers this isn't an issue since the most at the speed of light > so altitude isn't as much of an issue.
The physics is still quite daunting. Consider the size of a missile, its speed and the arc it is taking for basic flight pattern. The precision required to aim something to hit a target, even at the speed of light, is immensely complicated. You have to have really really good radar and frankly, ours doesn't seem to be up to it yet. Lasers have the advantage of getting there much more quickly than a rocket based interceptor but also has the disadvantage of not being able to account for course correction/evasion on the part of the target. Over a shorter distance, the problem becomes much easier. But for ICBMs, trying to intercept mid-course, dang, that is a tough tough problem. Not entirely impossible mind you, but immensely difficult and I question whether the resources we need to put into that are really worth the outcome. I'm not sure though. Judah ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Want to reach the ColdFusion community with something they want? Let them know on the House of Fusion mailing lists Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:304446 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5
