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Re: Guns in Space

"D from BC"

Question 1: > > If a gun was fired near the earth at the right angle and in the right > place and at the right speed..would ( the bullet) orbit the earth?
** The Q is undefined.

If the gun is in orbit, then a bullet fired from it would initially be oo - the orbital outcome depends on the direction of the firing compared to the path of the orbit.

If the gun is NOT in orbit ( ie is held stationery above the earth), then there is no way a bullet can be fired with high enough velocity to reach orbital speed. The bullet would leave the gun no faster than if fired on earth.

Question 2: > Could a space machine gun be an offense weapon for destroying > satellites, missiles or spacecraft? > Example: > A weapons platform can fire off thousands of 22 size bullets at a > satellite.. > Doesn't this make directed energy weapons, lasers and rail guns seem a > little goofy?
** Lasers are just a tad faster than bullets.

Like about 300,000 times.

How goofy.

...... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison
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I'm calling lasers goofy because an orbiting machine gun is probably much cheaper than a energy gobbling laser. The cheaper the gun platform..the more units that can be put into space. Bullets might be slow but if on target can probably zoom right through a satellites shell and punch a hole in sensitive electronics. Imagine a depleted uranium bullet in space... I'll guess an orbiting laser might be better for a target that moves unpredictably.. D from BC

Reply to
D from BC

"D from BC"

** That is the problem.

May take a hell of a time to find out you missed.

A guided weapon is far better.

A guided speed of light weapon is way better again.

Goofy.

....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

D from BC wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

well,there's the main problem."IF on target." then there's recoil effects distubing your platform;More bullets you fire,the greater the disturbance. WHERE the gun is placed on the vessel will also matter,as the recoil will affect it differently depending on where it is WRT the mass of the vessel. Think center of mass and offset forces upon it. That alone will complicate your targeting.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net
Reply to
Jim Yanik

Just use those movie UZIs that have zero recoil and infinite shots. ;-)

Cheers! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

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