ASATs vs Brilliant Pebbles

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6943660· OSTI ID:6943660

Speed, R D

This paper examines the cost exchange ratio of Brilliant Pebbles satellites when attacked by small, ground-based, non-nuclear ASATs. If the satellites have no defenses, the exchange ratio is likely to be at least 40:1 in favor of the attacker in a general war or 4:1 in his favor in a war of attrition. The use of maneuver, decoys, and space-based defensive rockets to defeat that ASAT threat were examined, but non of these approaches appears to be clearly economically advantageous. 3 figs., 4 tabs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6943660
• Report Number(s): UCRL-ID-103669; ON: DE90010348
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
MILITARY STRATEGY
SPACE VEHICLES
VULNERABILITY
SPACE WEAPONS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
COST
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
LAUNCHING
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
ROCKETS
WARFARE
ECONOMICS
NATIONAL DEFENSE
VEHICLES
WEAPONS
450500* - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Strategic Defense Initiative- (1990-)
450400 - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense- Nuclear & Radiological Warfare- (1990-)