In August, 2018, China successfully tested its first waverider boost and glide hypersonic vehicle.US will speed up hypersonic tests and will deploy space based defenses
Michael Griffin, the undersecretary of defense said a rough estimate for deploying space-based interceptors can be calculated on the $20,000 per kilogram is costs to send material into low earth orbit. Griffin talked about a force of 1,000 space-based interceptors each weighing 1,000 kilograms would cost $20 billion. In 2017, the congressional defense authorization bill directed the Pentagon to draw up proposals for space-based missile defenses. John Rood, undersecretary of defense for policy, said his office is working on plans for missile defences in space, including both sensors and interceptors. Space-based defenses also will permit so-called “boost-phase” defense—attacking missiles before they are launched, or shortly after launch in the boost phase of flight. There will be an aggressive new Air Force hypersonic weapons prototyping and demonstration program so that hypersonic missiles, drones and planes can be developed in years instead of decades. Part of the acceleration is to not wait for “100-percent” solutions but proceed with highly impactful “90-percent” solution. They will have fast-tracked procurement efforts of faster software enhancements, innovations and promising combat technologies likely to have a substantial near-term impact. Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology. Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels. A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
So, 1000 is an interesting number to use because it’s pushing 2/3 of the size of Russia’s operational strategic nuclear fleet (at least according to a recently released congressional report, putting the figure around 1542 warheads). They have another 5500 or so in various states of storage, operational and nonoperational. Aside from the weaponization of space, the subject of boost phase intercept – on the strategic level this is kind of a huge game changer to BMD because previously, our BMD was not designed or intended to stop a nuclear exchange with a peer superpower, it was designed to stop or limit a small exchange with a rogue or emerging nuclear power (DPRK, Iran, maybe Pakistan, something like that). If you look at the Iridium constellation, which had 66 satellites in LEO, that lasted roughly 25 years, each one about the size of a small car, that’s probably ALMOST big enough to be the base station for like let’s say, 20 Aegis interceptors. I like to cite the SM-3 Block IIA because its range and velocity make it substantially more capable interceptor than previous interceptors. Previous SM-3’s were not anywhere near capable of mid course defense, nor were they fast enough for boost phase intercept in almost any scenario. Whether it’s some even more advanced block design later or the IIA itself, the IIB, whatever – this is a standard missile family package that you can buy from Raytheon en masse, and standardize these base stations or satellite weapons platforms to carry. Launching and maintaining that fleet would be a truly massive undertaking, and would be completely destabilizing politically. It would effectively be like trying to build an Iron Dome around the globe, or at the very least the CONUS. If you almost can’t be hit with an ICBM or an SLBM, you’re going to make a lot of people really nervous with your newfound first strike capability, or limited tactical strike capability.
So 1000 is an interesting number to use because it’s pushing 2/3 of the size of Russia’s operational strategic nuclear fleet (at least according to a recently released congressional report putting the figure around 1542 warheads). They have another 5500 or so in various states of storage operational and nonoperational. Aside from the weaponization of space the subject of boost phase intercept – on the strategic level this is kind of a huge game changer to BMD because previously our BMD was not designed or intended to stop a nuclear exchange with a peer superpower it was designed to stop or limit a small exchange with a rogue or emerging nuclear power (DPRK Iran maybe Pakistan something like that). If you look at the Iridium constellation which had 66 satellites in LEO that lasted roughly 25 years each one about the size of a small car that’s probably ALMOST big enough to be the base station for like let’s say 20 Aegis interceptors. I like to cite the SM-3 Block IIA because its range and velocity make it substantially more capable interceptor than previous interceptors. Previous SM-3’s were not anywhere near capable of mid course defense nor were they fast enough for boost phase intercept in almost any scenario. Whether it’s some even more advanced block design later or the IIA itself the IIB whatever – this is a standard missile family package that you can buy from Raytheon en masse and standardize these base stations or satellite weapons platforms to carry. Launching and maintaining that fleet would be a truly massive undertaking and would be completely destabilizing politically. It would effectively be like trying to build an Iron Dome around the globe or at the very least the CONUS. If you almost can’t be hit with an ICBM or an SLBM you’re going to make a lot of people really nervous with your newfound first strike capability or limited tactical strike capability.
Where was the Coffee 10 years ago? I remember “That THING” we built hitting the ocean at Mach ??? once. I’d like to believe we never stopped exploring the MORE of it. Sometimes WE DO THAT and learn about all of it 30 years later… I do not feel confident that THAT has happened in this domain.
Where was the Coffee 10 years ago? I remember That THING”” we built hitting the ocean at Mach ??? once. I’d like to believe we never stopped exploring the MORE of it. Sometimes WE DO THAT and learn about all of it 30 years later… I do not feel confident that THAT has happened in this domain.”””
So, 1000 is an interesting number to use because it’s pushing 2/3 of the size of Russia’s operational strategic nuclear fleet (at least according to a recently released congressional report, putting the figure around 1542 warheads). They have another 5500 or so in various states of storage, operational and nonoperational. Aside from the weaponization of space, the subject of boost phase intercept – on the strategic level this is kind of a huge game changer to BMD because previously, our BMD was not designed or intended to stop a nuclear exchange with a peer superpower, it was designed to stop or limit a small exchange with a rogue or emerging nuclear power (DPRK, Iran, maybe Pakistan, something like that). If you look at the Iridium constellation, which had 66 satellites in LEO, that lasted roughly 25 years, each one about the size of a small car, that’s probably ALMOST big enough to be the base station for like let’s say, 20 Aegis interceptors. I like to cite the SM-3 Block IIA because its range and velocity make it substantially more capable interceptor than previous interceptors. Previous SM-3’s were not anywhere near capable of mid course defense, nor were they fast enough for boost phase intercept in almost any scenario. Whether it’s some even more advanced block design later or the IIA itself, the IIB, whatever – this is a standard missile family package that you can buy from Raytheon en masse, and standardize these base stations or satellite weapons platforms to carry. Launching and maintaining that fleet would be a truly massive undertaking, and would be completely destabilizing politically. It would effectively be like trying to build an Iron Dome around the globe, or at the very least the CONUS. If you almost can’t be hit with an ICBM or an SLBM, you’re going to make a lot of people really nervous with your newfound first strike capability, or limited tactical strike capability.
Where was the Coffee 10 years ago? I remember “That THING” we built hitting the ocean at Mach ??? once. I’d like to believe we never stopped exploring the MORE of it. Sometimes WE DO THAT and learn about all of it 30 years later… I do not feel confident that THAT has happened in this domain.