Can satellites do direst energy weapons?

Question

Can satellites do direst energy weapons?

Answer 1

There are different types of directed energy weapons.  Lasers are already powerful enough to be used as weapons (within certain practical limitations).  The US government (and probably other governements as well) have been working on this type of thing for years, microwaves, free electron lasers, x-ray lasers, among others.  One idea early in Reagan's "Star Wars" was electromagnetic rail gun technology.  At the time, they had not developed a rail gun that could be fired like a machine gun so one idea was to launch enough single fire rail guns that an all out missle attack from USSR could be shot down.  On more careful consideration, I believe this was discarded due to practical problems.

It also depends on what you want to destroy.  Disabling a satellite is relatively easy.  Blowing up a fortified underground bunker from space is rather more difficult.

hope this helps

Answer 2

Yes.

The US government has already experimented with a small scale prototype.

http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getReco...

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