How Is U.S. Space Power Jeopardized by an Adversary's Exploitation Technological Developments Employment and Engagement of Laser Antisatellite Weapons?

<p>This research project discusses how an adversary's exploitation technological developments employment and engagement of laser antisatellite (ASAT) weapons may negatively impact the US ability to use space power to enhance terrestrial warfighting capability. After describing some exploitable attractive laser weapon characteristics the paper explains some laser lethality factors relating several key laser weapon parameters such as range pointing jitter atmospheric attenuation dwell time and target coupling. How ground- air- and space-based lasers can theoretically be employed against space assets to inflict soft and hard satellite kills is also briefly discussed. Next applicable US treaties and political considerations about laser ASAT weapons are presented. Finally unclassified sources are used to assess the current level of laser ASAT weapons threat to US space assets and propose how an adversaries' laser ASAT weapons can jeopardize US space power's ability to enhance terrestrial warfighting.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>