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Heavy weapons: Difference between revisions
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What could be simpler than metal rods, maybe with fins for stability, [[wp:Kinetic bombardment|dropped precisely from a satellite]] orbiting Earth at 7,000mph (that's 9km/s, or Mach 10)? But what metal to use that can withstand this heat? Easy: tungsten. Melting point of 6,192°F (3,422°C). Boiling point is so high that it would stay liquid on the surface of the Sun. This has never been tried, so we don't know what it would look like when deployed. Obviously you wouldn't see the rods, only the result of their impact; could you see a plasma trail left behind in the atmosphere? Has the power of a railgun, or more, with the advantage that you don't have to deploy the weapon on or near the battlefield. No insanely high electrical consumption. Of course, there's that minor initial cost of orbital installation. | What could be simpler than metal rods, maybe with fins for stability, [[wp:Kinetic bombardment|dropped precisely from a satellite]] orbiting Earth at 7,000mph (that's 9km/s, or Mach 10)? But what metal to use that can withstand this heat? Easy: tungsten. Melting point of 6,192°F (3,422°C). Boiling point is so high that it would stay liquid on the surface of the Sun. This has never been tried, so we don't know what it would look like when deployed. Obviously you wouldn't see the rods, only the result of their impact; could you see a plasma trail left behind in the atmosphere? Has the power of a railgun, or more, with the advantage that you don't have to deploy the weapon on or near the battlefield. No insanely high electrical consumption. Of course, there's that minor initial cost of orbital installation. | ||
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_n1FZaKzF8 This video] attempts to simulate Project Thor on a small scale and considers the reasons it was cancelled. | |||
===MIRV=== | ===MIRV=== | ||