Re: [erm] space mirrors

Thomas Anderson wrote:

> now, the question i ask is, does this have any military applications?
i
> know we're getting very good at nightfighting, but if the force with
space
> superiority is able to deploy these fellas, might it help them? what
about
> shining the light onto suspected enemy positions - illuminate them and
> overload their nightsights so they can't see you? how about as a
planetary
>

They could just a switch to thermals. Actually we have a similar thing
in
operation today. It's on the AC130 spectre gunship. This powerful
gazillion-candle watt(?) searchlight can illuminate a football
field-sized
area to even bright than day. It's used to scare the heck out of locals.
Especially if they know every inch of that illumination is about a
second away
from being fille dwith 7.62, 20mm, 40mm and 105mm ordanance. I've seen
it in
operation and it's very impressive.

> defence - put thousands of them (they're cheap, being made of silvered
> plastic film) into low orbit, so when the high-tech attacker comes
rolling
> over your planet, you can offset your lack of expensive night-vision
> goggles with reflected light. they would have civilian uses too (light
> during blackouts and disasters), and so the military use would just be
a
> nice spinoff.

Probably a good idea.