Re: Colonists and Weapons

Randall L Joiner wrote:

> As for stopping power, again, I'll point to research going on right
> now.	There's research going on for use of a ground based laser to
propel a
> satellite into orbit.  Quick and dirty, it hits the bottom of the
craft and
> super heats the air under it, expanding air pushes the satellite up. 
This
> is done with today's lasers.	With tomorrows lasers, and a bit of
research,
> we may find that this concept could be used in a laser gun.  So, super
> heated air such that it "explodes" (not correct usage, I know, done
for
> effect... :) right on top of someone...  Concussion, burning...
>

Unfortunately for weapons production, the vessel to be propelled
conspires
mightily with the laser to produce the superheated air that blasts it
upwards
into space.  The bottom of the craft is designed to be illuminated from
below and
focus all of the incident light into a tight ring around the aerospike
nozzle
that guarantees thermal blooming at the target.  The laser itself is a
very
boring, garden variety laser (all be it, much more powerful than a laser
pointer), with no particularily unusual features.  It should surprise no
one that
tank designers do not design the precise vehicles that the laser
designers want