RE: RE: starship-design: Want to bet that Black Horse is in here somewhere?

["L. Parker" <lparker@cacaphony.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-starship-design@lists.uoregon.edu
[mailto:owner-starship-design@lists.uoregon.edu]On Behalf Of Curtis Manges
Sent: Monday, June 10, 2002 5:58 PM
To: starship-design
Subject: Fwd: RE: starship-design: Want to bet that Black Horse is in here
somewhere?


hey, thanksfor the feedback. next question: aren't weapons illegal in space?

Well they were the last time I checked....

Actually, I think the prohibition only applies to _nuclear_ weapons. Which
an orbital laser equipped fighter makes useless unless launched in massive
quantities. Russia and China would both be able to swamp such a fighter.
India and Pakistan on the other hand would be much more easily handled.

Black Horse was tasked to be able to deliver its "cargo" to a particular
point in orbit within four hours. So it would be possible with some warning
of imminent launch to have such a fighter nearby in orbit. The problem is
that it is a low orbit and hence its "loiter time" would be very brief. It
would require several spacecraft to maintain continuous coverage.

Lots of possibilities here.

Lee