Re: SF rocket propulsion?

Well, real space combat would IMHO be short and sweet. The first
targeting computer to lock onto the other ship would immediately fire a
particle beam weapon capable of destroying the other ship (there are no
such things as "deflector" sheilds, of course), which particle beam
would move at near light-speed, much faster than any relativistic ship
can move (we're talking real physics, right) so the combat is likely to
be over before the humans involved ever know it's begun, since it will
all come down to whose sensors and weapons work at a longer range and
whose computers are faster.

But real space combat is unlikely to ever happen, since in the real
world there's nothing in space worth fighting over. Even orbital
bombardment from a ship in orbit is unlikely since particle beam
weapons would pick off the ships and let's face it, the planet being
attacked would have months if not years to prepare at relativistic
speeds.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: SF rocket propulsion?
    ... particle beam weapon capable of destroying the other ship (there are no ... of beam weapons. ... world there's nothing in space worth fighting over. ...
    (rec.arts.sf.science)
  • Re: Orion Drive space battle
    ... dodge the enemy missiles, or even just leave the combat zone ... At lower distances, the high relative ... Better to have all weapons ... "No need to align the whole ship, ...
    (rec.arts.sf.science)
  • 29.
    ... A stupendous "scout ship' was waiting for us. ... It has been said that all people on this Earth have been seeded from other ... by noted Orientalist and Biblical scholar Zecharia Sitchin. ... the use of "weapons of ter-or" to defeat what was seen as a threat by Marduk ...
    (talk.religion.newage)
  • Re: Future Frigate In The Sea Of Whatever
    ... They'll have light weapons which it's practical but expensive to ... expensive to armour a vehicle against; even with the armour, ... Governments being governments, and not used ... I wonder whether the ship itself isn't designed for a short ...
    (rec.arts.sf.science)
  • Re: Blackout 2003: Computer Worm Caused Grid Problems Before! Revealing Documents!
    ... p.s. do any nuclear weapon systems, in particular launch transmission ... : facilities, use Microsoft products? ... Windows NT/2000-based Smart Ship technology first demonstrated on ... run Microsoft Windows 2000 for a variety of communications and weapons ...
    (comp.security.misc)