Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!rex!rouge!dlbres10 From: dlbres10@pc.usl.edu (Fraering Philip) Newsgroups: sci.space Subject: Re: Pity The Much Abused Shuttle Message-ID: Date: 15 Nov 90 02:46:55 GMT References: Sender: anon@rouge.usl.edu Organization: Univ. of Southwestern LA, Lafayette Lines: 26 In-reply-to: bap@DOGHEN.BOLTZ.CS.CMU.EDU's message of 15 Nov 90 00:23:02 GMT You don't get it. The shuttles cost billions a piece, and would cost only a couple million to destroy. Look at the old U.S. Asat design: You know, the one that launches from a F-15? It would very easily punch a 20-foot hole though whatever part of the shuttle it happened to hit. And if you don't think the Russians could build anything comparable, well, there's lots of sand in California you can bury your hand in. All they need is a large phased-array radar and a rocket. They launch the rocket (which has a warhead like a claymore mine 50 feet long) to the shuttle's altitude in its path and blow it up. What happens when the shuttle hits the cloud of ball bearings at orbital velocity is an exercise for the reader. Simply scale up (it is linearly dependent on mass) the effect of paint chips that weigh significantly less... Then the Russians have wonders of wonders destroyed 25% of the entire fleet. Their next _expendable_ shot would destroy another billion dollar jeep... Think before you post next time. Phil Fraering dlbres10@pc.usl.edu