Notes on Space, Satellites, and Survivability

Technical Report · Thu Feb 28 23:00:00 EST 1991

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5991815· OSTI ID:5991815

Canavan, Gregory H. ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

The satellites most at risk in the near term are sensors and the brilliant pebbles for boost-phase defense. The availability of countermeasures for kinetic energy anti-satellites (ASATs) tends to downgrade them. Space-based interceptors and lasers are even less effective. Space mines appear to be the dominant space-based threat. Their main advantages are simplicity and low mass. If they can be forced to use decoys or cannot discriminate, that advantage is lost. For fundamental reasons discrimination should become more robust in time and combined defenses should become more effective.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Administration and Human Resource Management (AD)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5991815
• Report Number(s): LA--11847-MS; ON: DE91009229
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450500* -- Military Technology
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& National Defense-- Strategic Defense Initiative-- (1990-)
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
BOMBS
COST
DIRECTED-ENERGY WEAPONS
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SAFETY
SATELLITES
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