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What if the Spaceshuttle was shotdown?
nitrouz
Member Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭
What would America's reaction be if it was announced China or North Korea shot down the Space shuttle with a high power laser rupturing it's hull upon re-entry?
Would all of man kind be thrown into World War III as public uprisal demanded retalitory action?
Would the Government actually cover up such an incident just to keep the peace and plan retaliation later as we don't have the funds or the military to even take on China at the time?
"He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."
- Jesus Christ in Luke 22:36
Would all of man kind be thrown into World War III as public uprisal demanded retalitory action?
Would the Government actually cover up such an incident just to keep the peace and plan retaliation later as we don't have the funds or the military to even take on China at the time?
"He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."
- Jesus Christ in Luke 22:36
Comments
But in the interests of suspending my disbelief, I would say we'd more than likely just use our own hi-powered laser to shoot down one of theirs.
If the space shuttle were to be shot down then we would have some commie butt to kick.
New Hampshire, USA - "Live Free or Die!!!"
Given the size of the PLA, that's an awful lot of butt to kick. And more than likely we'd get tired of kicking before they got tired of being kicked.
Actually, in the novels, Bond was sometimes up against the Soviet organization called Smersh, but in the movies it was easier to tie all the major villains to his other main nemesis, a wealthy group of international terrorists called SPECTRE, (the "T" was for "Terrorism"). Fleming had Dr. No bringing down rockets at Cape Canaveral from a private island. Fleming had Goldfinger attacking Fort Knox with crop-dusters equipped with gas cannisters -- not to steal the gold, but to irradiate it with a nuke. Fleming had super-rich villains perched in private places, from yachts to secret training camps for private armies, with an aim to bring down the current world order.
Ironic that his books are less unlikely now than they were in the 60s. Now we have Al Qaeda under training in private camps (in a hijacked COUNTRY) under the auspices of a multi-millionaire who pretty much hates everybody, and who manages to come up with plots like bringing down a dozen airliners at once over the Pacific (failed), or hijacking airliners to hit targets in New York and Washington (succeeded about 3/4 of the way). The rich despots look an awful lot like Bond's rich-living megalomaniacs, gathering their funds from the enterprises of radical splinter groups and secret organizations.
I wonder if Fleming KNEW, as a former agent, some of this stuff could ever be in the cards, or just thought he was spinning good yarns based on fragments taken from the outer edges of his times... ?
Anyway, the laser thing would probably not be covered up in the post-9/11 world. It would be investigated and those responsible hunted down. If such an attack were possible at that altitude. Actually, we will be the first nation to have workable "beam weapon" technology, no doubt.
T. Jefferson: "[When doing Constitutional interpretation], let us [go] back to the time when [it] was adopted. [Rather than] invent a meaning [let us] conform to the probable one in which it was passed."
We have lost vast mounts of information from our test sights by Chinese spies and North Korea already has used lasers on our aircraft and troops in the last year alone.
We currently have the technology to put a laser on a aircraft to take down ballistic missiles but they are working on software for target aquisition which will ensure our satellites are not hit by missed shots. Once they get that program operational we will really have a missile defense system.
By shooting down the shuttle they could of first tested their technology, second put a serious blow into our space program, and thirdly make our leadership realize a war with them won't be as easy as Iraq or Afghanistan.
"Why would China"
Well why would they hit our prop surveillance plane with a jet fighter?
Why would China go through all the trouble to put spies in our defense testing laboratories? Why did China send spies to photograph our airbase in Guam when there are no aircraft there? Why is China getting embeded into our economy with Walmart and their products they sell to us?
Maybe there is a picture being painted we all haven't seen yet.
"He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."
- Jesus Christ in Luke 22:36
US government would claim tiles damaged on take-off failed on re-entry. Then go to McDonalds for lunch and order the Happy Meals so as to get the latest Spy Kids action toy, made in the peoples republic of China.
whop, whop, whop, whop I gotta go!
If you have one shot...Accu-Shot Website
God,Guts,& GunsHave we lost all 3 ??
If you have one shot...Accu-Shot Website
Laser dazzle devices were fielded as far back as the Falklands when the British used them on board their destroyers. The technology isn't exactly new.
And as for sending a clear message that they're not to messed with, well, there's cheaper and easier ways to do it. For example, how's about walking into the U.S. Embassy and slapping down a file full of supposedly top-secret miniaturized nuke warhead schematics? The implied message there is, "We have them now, too." No public outcry that results in nuclear retaliation and the other guy gets the hint.