Re: Airborne lasers

From: Pat Flannery (flanner_at_daktel.com)
Date: 11/11/04 

Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 15:37:03 -0600

Derek Lyons wrote:

>
>
>Certainly. And the heat required is considerable, you think a solid
>grain won't be effected?
>

The casing is thicker on a solid fueled rocket than on a liquid fueled one.

>Of course, the foam is lightweight insulation. How it would stand up
>to laser energy being deposited in it is theoretical. But in your
>handwaving universe such facts don't matter.
>

Do you use the term "handwaving" this often in your day-to-day conversation?
Try "yada-yada-yada" sometime- it will add variety to your
conversational palette.

>>
>>>Handwaving away the enormous problems this causes in guidance.
>>>

There it is again! Try "Forsooth, varlet!" instead- it will add an
exotic touch to everyday discourse.

>>>
>>>
>>>
>>It's been done on both some anti-tank and air-to-air missiles since the
>>1940's:
>>
>>
>
>A clue for you: Those missiles were not inertially guided.
>

Nope, but the Lance is; and it spins.

>>>>
>>>>
>>>Hanwaving away the problem of creating a dense enough smoke cloud.
>>>
>>>

Well, at least that's some variation- sounds a bit Scottish....

>>>
>>>
>>Guess where the solid fuel motors that make the missile rotate are
>>located? In fact, they can be angled back and generate useful thrust.
>>Missiles making smoke? Looky here! Lance missile launch:
>>http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/program/p212.jpg
>>
>>
>
>Looky here! Here's a *thin* stream of smoke that lasts for a few
>seconds! Somehow, this proves that a *thick and even* layer of smoke
>can be produced over a period of a minute of more.
>

Well, since you phrased that as a statement, not a question- I assume
you do.
I was just pointing out that in the case of Lance, the smoke isn't
intentional, and the motors not designed to produce it- if you went out
of your way to make as much smoke as possibly, you might be able to make
some progress in that direction.

>
>
>
>>In this case, it's a byproduct of the spin motors, but if this is what
>>you can do without trying....hey, wait a minute...this one spins,
>>doesn't it? And it's liquid-fueled and inertialy guided to boot!
>>
>>
>
><sigh> The guidance needs of a short range battlefield missile are
>quite different from a theatre range missile. Furthermore, actual
>research shows the 'inertial guidance' was an accelerometer, not a
>stable platform.
>

Yup, and that's where the laser ring gyros come into play.
 It still goes from point "A" to point "B" quite nicely though, doesn't it?

>
>
>Odd. I support my arguments with facts and experience, you with
>handwaving and exited hopping about.
>

Well speaking of handwaving and exiting, (best Vir Cotto looking at the
thing on the pole outside the Centari palace grin)

Bye-bye. :-)

(Ker-plonk)

Pat

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