Comment Re:How would nukes exert force on an asteroid? (Score 1) 150
Basically, the x-rays will ignite the surface of the asteroid instead. If the material in the asteroid is sub-optimal for this purpose, there have been designs of turning a nuclear bomb into a kinetic weapon that should work in this regard. Basically the bomb sits in an x-ray reflective shell, and when the bomb explodes, the x-rays bounce around the shell before the exploded bits of the bomb destroy it and exit an aperture. At the end of the aperture is a large, dense block of x-ray absorbing material. This material is vaporized by the x-rays and is all traveling in a similar direction as the x-rays were all going in that general direction. This plasma moving at relativistic speeds then slams into the target like a nuclear shot gun blast. IIRC, this design was built for using nuclear bombs against space ships and it was estimated that it could direct 95% of the energy of the bomb at the intended target.
I second that. Masterful tech writing.
This description of Orion propulsion also describes the 'Casaba-Howitzer', a one-shot Orion optimized for a narrow, fast plasma jet. Here objective is more similar to Orion than punching through armor: the most complete, reliable and (as much as possible) directed transfer of energy. The Casaba-Howitzer concept is not even in the declassified SDI flava stuff that DOE is permitted to talk about.
We all love Delta-V-expensive solutions that involve maneuvering 'beside' or 'landing on' a threat (which by definition is heading straight towards us at 10-30kps. There are no cloverleafs in space, people!
Are the warheads? We know how to make warheads that detonate on timing, pressure and 'contact'. But speed is relative and conditions in atmosphere is a cushy affair, a device falling at terminal velocity or missile propelled. Can we assuredly produce a weapon that can range itself accurately or trigger in vacuum, on or just before contact at ~40kps?
And there should be at least three complete missions of them en route, each lagging far enough to escape detonation effects, have enough time to analyze a failure, upload firmware, or adjust course in case we have partial success. And it would br really nice if each mission embodied more than one general approach, or the ability to reconfigure for an alternate strategy... just in case there it becomes clear after the first that the primary will not work. And even an idea that shapes force of a nuclear explosion is a massive fail if a technical snafu has it pointing the wrong direction.
The price of failure is death. And embarrassment.
