Sci-Fi Space Battles: Lasers or Projectiles

Lasers or Projectile Weapons in Space?


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sorta off topic...a few years ago there was some buzz about a program called 'Brilliant Pebbles" buried in a Strategic Defense Initiative spending bill. rumor was that it was a subspace plane satellite killer. the 'pebbles' part inspired speculation that it had some projectile feature.
upon further review there was a Pebbles, but the 'space plane' was Brilliant Buzzard.
 
The US Navy has recently been testing a laser that would work as a CIWS type of thing, there was video online of this.
 
will WWIII start in space?
I'm thinking it'll be digital more-so than physical destruction. The major global players are back in the Cold War game frame of mind but with digital game pieces this time. I wouldn't be surprised if the next war is done by carrying out digital attacks to take out infrastructure services first and then drone strikes if needed.
 
Digi-War I?
There have been a few skirmishes already. With the Stuxnet virus, which targeted centrifuges in Iran as part of their nuclear program, being attributed to the US & Israel and with China & Russia both being attributed for attacks on US government systems, we're starting to see the future of modern warfare.
 
Recently I imagined a strictly scifi type weapon. Atomic Destabilizer.
The Atomic Destabilizer is a force wave that sends out a pulse of energy that interrupts the nuclear bonds (the four forces that keep atoms together). All matter caught in the wave is ripped apart atomically. Essentially a disintegration wave. The firing ship is safe from the wave because it emits away from it in a circular pattern similar to a ripple in a pond.
 
Another scifi weapon, An energy stripping sphere.
Construction ~ Unknown (Suspected Dark Matter)
Detection ~ Moving mass voids, pitch black and silent
Propulsion ~ Unknown
Size ~ Small (Phobos size) Large (Jupiter size) Largest (Unknown)
Range ~ Small Spheres ( 14,000 cubic kilometers) Large Spheres ~ Range Unknown
Origin ~ Sculptor Void
Weapon Type ~ Proximity
Result ~ Energy is gathered and absorbed in vicinity of sphere.
Result ~ Affected mass goes to near Absolute Zero (Frozen)
Special Considerations ~ Also absorbs kinetic energy
Unknown Consideration ~ Larger, more powerful Spheres may absorb nucleonic energy
 
This is a hefty thread...but the title caught my eye,, because I was just saying this in some
things I posted recently..and because I made animations of Viper Launch ..etc..

From working in a 3d app....any directed energy weapon.....that is at least 360x180 or 90 capable..
would be the ideal choice I think...even after doing some shorts of NuBsg,,I just cannot seem to buy the idea of Projectiles..
only in extreme close range...or extremely large bodies aimed at larger bodies..:D

And I have also wondered about the Launch Tubes being Lit up....(which I just did one lol)
Pilots would be blind when exiting the ship.

Which also makes me wonder..why the Enterprise can detect something Light Years away,,and when they get there..there is too much interference>?

And then the Transporter always malfunctions at the worst time.

Just 2 cents in...

Regards,

Randal R.
 
....any directed energy weapon..... would be the ideal choice I think... I just cannot seem to buy the idea of Projectiles.. only in extreme close range...or extremely large bodies aimed at larger bodies..:D
For energy based weapons like lasers... could I be rogue space pirate and cover the bulk of my ship in mirrors to deflect the laser beams? :whistle:
 
For energy based weapons like lasers... could I be rogue space pirate and cover the bulk of my ship in mirrors to deflect the laser beams? :whistle:
Y'know, I doubt mirrors would be required. Anything that refracts the beam would be good if it was a focused laser type beam. Look at stealth technology. Part of what makes it stealth is that its surfaces are defracting. Light is a waveform like radar is just closer frequencies.

A mass energy weapon could defeat the stealth by heating all surfaces at the same time. Light has a driving force like water has pressure and electricity has amperage (Solar Sails). A light weapon that is dense enough and large enough might over come even stealth mirrored surfaces by heating the structure beyond its threshold. Photons have mass & energy so delivering a mass energy laser on target would have its own issues with Newton's 3rd Law. Plus for any energy beam to destroy something, once again, it needs time on target.

Physic Stack Exchange said:
The light that does not get reflected gets either absorbed (mostly) or transmitted (usually only for very thin film mirrors). The portion that gets absorbed is transformed into heat, which is transferred into the mirror material.
Will high power laser penetrate mirror?

Given the physics in space and the physics that would be present in a space battle I would think that a rotating sphere might be the best defense as long as there is a defensive system or guidance system that can defeat projectiles.

Offensive measures optimal to those conditions might be a mass controller. A device that redirects mass from its own manuvering. One very viable method of deflecting asteroids is to park a mass beside the asteroid and let the gravity move the trajectory. Think gravity wells, now think about how that could be used in battle.

Perhaps the only real effective strategy is to lure or bait your opponent into a naturally destructive position, Without getting caught in it yourself.
 
gee..this is really deep..:D....never thought that far ahead on this subject.

I always thought the Speed of Light aspect of Energy would be required in order to hit anything.
Especially an object being controlled or under intelligent influence.
Projectiles could also hurt your own assets in space..like the Torpedo that turns on you...because your made of metal too (Submarine)

I have not read all these posts..so I really cannot fathom what has been said..so..forgive my intrusion.
But..I was curious. :D
 
And I have also wondered about the Launch Tubes being Lit up....(which I just did one lol)
Pilots would be blind when exiting the ship.

Launch tubes are cool on film but in reality they are a disaster.
Good point about the lighting!

The physics of space would make launching from a free launch tube a widow-maker launch. Considering that most films I have seen are of 'vipers' being launched via chemical rocket propulsion. The tubes, usually, are roughly 10 to 15 times the length of the 'viper'. The viper fires off and rockets down the tube. I have never seen a launch tube with guidance rails.

Rocket thrust is not a precision reaction. Rocket thrust can be directed but not with enough precision to belay a vectoring issue. The vipers would crash into the sides of the launch tube. This would do damage to the surfaces of the tubes and the viper. Another thing I have never seen with a launch tube launch is where the rocket thrust dissipates? If the thrust gasses are not removed they would build up and explode the tube.

Babylon 5 showed their vipers being launched from a platform off a gantry. There was no tube. Consider consulting that show for a viable method.

Thinking out loud here.
I think the best way to store and launch a fighter might be just housing them on the surface of the mothership. Once docking clamps and gantries are released it would only require a minimal maneuvering thrust to set them free. Once free they could engage their main drives.

One more thing...
What would be the point of having fighters at all in space? Unless they are being launched to an atmosphere they will be no more effective than the mothership and have less energy for weapon systems, targeting or attitude control. The movie inspired "Space Battle" with fighters all over the place zooming past each other is physically ineffective.

Climbing weapons might be handy tho? Weapons that climb around on the exterior of the mothership. Maintenance Bots might be easily equipped with the weapon of choice.
 
forgive my intrusion
Never! I applaud your discussion!

Projectiles could also hurt your own assets in space..like the Torpedo that turns on you...because your made of metal too (Submarine)
That is IF you are made of metal and use targeting that is based on metal detection.
I think (not sure?) torpedo targeting is based on mass and targeting information. Ranges are set.

In space, Against a foe with unknown composition, The most effective projectile weapon would be a proximity mine. Only as long as the mine is undetectable and not in proximity to 'friendly' forces.

I have not read all these posts
Oh, Please do, I love discussing stuff like this.
 
The most effective projectile weapon would be a proximity mine.
Oops, Sorry.
A proximity mine in space would not be very effective. In space, there is no mass to increase the explosive detonation. Granted the mine will explode equally on all sides and there will be some amplification of the blast due to the blast bouncing off itself but when the blast happens there is no medium for the blast to propagate.
In Water, a mine explodes and the water is displaced as well. In space, there is no water, just near vacuum. A mine contacting the ships hull would only damage the spot where it contacts and the immediate surrounding area. Given that space craft may have more than one hull, I deem mines ineffective.
 
An EMP also would be ineffective in a space battle.
Star Weather (Solar Wind/Cosmic Rays) all have an EMP that is constantly being emitted by the star.
Shielding of any craft would also shield against an EMP.
During strong Solar Weather even the Earth is protected by our magnetosphere and when that is not enough Electronic systems are affected. Any civilization that is able to participate in a space battle will have long ago equipped their craft with shielding.
One of our main problems with manned missions to the planets is that we don't have an 'effective' shielding system. Sure we could line everything with lead but lead is only useful for once it is in space. Lead is heavy. Launching enough lead into space to construct a craft would be very difficult and certainly cost prohibitive.

A DigiWar (I like that) also would not work. Any attack by a virus or a code would require a 'listening' receiver.
Sending a virus to an alien mothership like in Independence Day requires the target to accept and understand the code. It would be like me sending random zeros & ones to your toaster. Top that off with the possibility that the toaster might not even be binary, It could be trinary or quadrinary or chemical or it might be based in frequency, odor or any number of unknown programming language.
 
The physics of space makes war in space difficult if not impossible. There are 3 scenarios that must be considered.

1. A known like opponent.
Probable that you know their tactics, weapons and resources, Technology will be close to your own. Tactics will be similar to your own. Strategy will be the defining quality to the victor.

2. A known unlike opponent.
Experience will be the defining factor for the victor.

3. An unknown unlike opponent.
Throw everything at them in your arsenal. Study the effective measures then make those more effective.
Strategy will be ineffective at first because they may not operate as you. Over time and with enough experience strategy might prove effective. If they give you time to learn.
 
Then there is the Giant Rubber Duck that is most effective in a space battle
MV5BODc4NDA2MTAyNl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODA1NzEyOQ@@._V1_SY317_CR1,0,214,317_AL_.jpg
 
I don't know how to quote you like you did me...will figure it out one day.
Launch tubes are cool on film but in reality they are a disaster.
I never ever thought that much ahead about Launch tubes.....but like many things Hollywood TV makes..is so far
from actuality in terms that if it were real....

Prime Example is how things look if they were in true 3d space...vs a 2d screen.
I run into this on almost any animation of objects.....very often you need to animate things from the Camera P.O.V.
or you get visual aberrations...things look like they are moving counter to their direction.

What would be the point of having fighters at all in space?
I have to agree with this.Unless the fighter serves other functions...or can travel
more quickly and easily than the capital ship...then there is the issue of gravity...
--if a ship has plating that can Multiply its gravity..then its quite possible that ship
might not move at all..or very very slowly by it's own power.--





Babylon 5 showed their vipers being launched from a platform off a gantry.
The Cylon Basestar (Re-Imagined)..at least one version Launches from slots..

I have an animation of it in this video...which I want to re-shoot (render) with new mats.

See Basestar Launching @2:29




fyi-tidbit
--TOS BSG was a miniseries 3 part or 1 movie.( was released as a film in other countries )
and was thrown into production in haste..writing was in haste..cause the network wanted it now..
due to Star Wars phenomenal success. Larson wanted another year to prepare.--
and then they canceled it!!


RRR.
 
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