Re: [erm] space mirrors

Thomas spake thusly upon matters weighty: 

Easy to target and fire back at if you can fire earth-to-orbit 
ordinance....

> i read in the latest Nature (v395 p833) that the russians are to
deploy a
> 2.5-metre mirror from the Mir space station; they claim it should be
> visible from some northern cities as a moving spot with the brightess
of 5
> to 10 full moons. this is a proof-of-principle experiment, but i think
the
> idea is that in future, bigger and more numerous mirrors will be
deployed
> to supply light during power failures, rescue operations, etc.
> 
> 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
> 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.
> 
> just a random thought.
> 
> Tom
> 
> 
> 
/************************************************
Thomas Barclay		     
Voice: (613) 831-2018 x 4009
Fax: (613) 831-8255

 "C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot.  C++ makes
 it harder, but when you do, it blows away your whole leg."
 -Bjarne Stroustrup
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