The economic common sense of SDI
- High Frontier, Inc., Arlington, VA (USA)
The present development history and current status evaluation of the economic viability of SDI technologies suggests that much of the exaggeration of SDI costs has been due to an effort of the part of the program's opponents to consider only the most exotic, and commensurately expensive, options for orbital missile defense. It is noted that, by contrast, extraordinary advancements in microelectronics have made possible the creation of 20-100 lb devices which detect hostile missile launches, calculate the paths of enemy missiles and warheads through space, and fly to pinpoint accuracy to intercept targets and destroy them by means of high-speed collision. This 'Brilliant Pebbles' scheme has reduced the cost of an effective SDI system to below 25 billion.
- OSTI ID:
- 5646593
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Practical Applications in Space; (USA), Vol. 2; ISSN 1046-8757
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ACCURACY
COST
EVALUATION
MICROELECTRONICS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
SPACE WEAPONS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
ECONOMICS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
NATIONAL DEFENSE
450500* - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Strategic Defense Initiative- (1990-)