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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Defending against ballistic missile attacks

Book ·
OSTI ID:5626430

This book is a compendium of information on the proliferation of ballistic missiles and other defense issues. This volume describes recent SDI advances in crystal clear language. It explains how the marriage of ultra-compact electronics and rocketry has created the smart bullet or brilliant pebble--a projectile with a tiny but powerful compute brain. The brilliant pebble tracks it target by sensing the heat the target emits, as a snake does when tracking a small mammal. Then, guided by its miniaturized computer brain, the brilliant pebble steers itself into the target and destroys it by force of the impact. In this latest form, the brilliant pebble even has the ability to take sightings on the stars, setting its course by celestial navigation.

OSTI ID:
5626430
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English