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he growing arsenal that is the US's missile defence extends to the back of the plane where the laser is program. But it has a dual use, say space-weapons __ generated. experts. It could also decipher space debris from any There are several different kinds of US military lasers, uture "killer microsatellite". There are several other X- and some work better in space than others. The ABL's Bands across the globe; if all are upgraded to maxium aser works both in space and in the atmosphere. capacity, they could track over 300 targets, some less _—‘ Technically it is called the Chemical Oxygen lodine han a metre long, at the same time. Laser, or COIL—a laser beam created from a chemical ¢ One missile defence/space weapons program is the reaction between chlorine, hydrogen peroxide and aptly named "Rods from God". The rods would be _ iodine, resulting in what the MDA calls a "killer laser inetic energy weapons—oversized metal spears one beam". It's a beam you can't see. The ABL conducts oot (~0.3 metres) wide and twenty feet (~6.1 metres) his chemical reaction at the back of the aircraft in a set ong—fired by a battlesat and propelled by gravity as of six modules weighing, with chemicals added, a gut- hey hurtled towards their Earthly targets. The system busting, SUV-sized 6,500 pounds (2,925 kilograms) each. would be comprised of two satellites: one would house Part of the weight comprises a cooling system. he targeting hardware, and the other Initially, the reaction produces a he rods. When they're ripping steam-and-light explosion that is hrough the atmosphere, the rods will allegedly fatal if one is standing too be travelling at a speed of 11,000 close. This explosion of light creates metres per second and with the If the laser can a megawatt-class laser beam with a apparent blast force of a nuclear- stay locked onto total power believed to be roughly ipped ICBM—thus, no radioactive + 4s eas over one million watts. It is funnelled lakes falling out of the sky. a ballistic missile, down the mirrored tube and out the Preliminary tests of rods dropped from even fora few front-end lens, hitting any target at a high altitude over the New Mexico d . h ld the speed of light. If the laser can desert resulted in a penetration of secon Sy It shou stay locked onto a ballistic missile, over 30. ect (15.24 metres) into the be able to melt even for a few seconds it should be Earth. Bunkers beware. able to melt through the metal skin o' ¢ President Reagan envisioned laser through the metal the hull, creating a hole that would cannon on satellites with the skin of the hull eventually lead to the missile's power to melt through the skin of . 2 destruction in flight. creating a hole that ballistic missiles as they travelled There is also research ongoing hei fendeavous with large US fg Would eventually Me ni norstin the metropolis. Space-based laser lead to the missile's atmosphere and space—that cannon, however, never made it destruction could redirect the ABL's laser out of the 1980s. Nonetheless, the MDA is working on a handful of high- profile laser projects such as the Airborne Laser (ABL) aircraft (see chapter 10 of my book Technoir). and Space Global Engagement The ABL aircraft is a Boeing 747 (EAGLE). The ABL has survived hat has been gutted and turned into a literal flying | the Obama administration, but barely. It has cost $4.3 aser cannon. In 2008, the aircraft test-fired its "primary billion since 1994 and is said to be a long way from beam", a megawatt-class High Energy Laser (HEL), deployment. The ABL, however, reached a major which is a weapons-grade laser—meaning that it can milestone in 2010 when it shot down a ballistic missile ake out missiles, artillery shells and mortars. In 2010, within Earth's atmosphere. The shoot-down once again he primary beam actually destroyed a ballistic missile | suggested that the US space weapons capability is far across the globe or into space, which would give it the capability of shooting down low-Earth-orbit satellites. The program, run by the MDA, is the Evolutionary Air in flight. during a test over central California. greater than the Pentagon and the White House are The ABL has two other lasers on board, for tracking letting on. and for targeting. The "laser cannon" that fires the ¢ In the heart of Alaska and just north of Los Angeles, weapons-grade laser is actually an exotic circular mirror, | the US has two missile defence installations that are 1.5 metres in diameter, that can rotate nearly 360 _ said to be close to operational, which probably means degrees. It is underneath a roundish protective cone _ that they could shoot down a constellation of satellites that covers the aircraft's nose. if need be. The two installations are part of the Ground- The lens directs the laser as it leaves the aircraft. The | Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system. The GMD's "cannon" also consists of a long mirrored tube that prime contractor is Boeing. stay locked onto a ballistic missile, seconds, it should be able to melt — through the metal skin of the hull, creating a hole that would eventually lead to the missile's destruction in flight. 14 * NEXUS JUNE - JULY 2011 If the laser can even for a few www.nexusmagazine.com