beoShaffer comments on Asteroids and spaceships are kinetic bombs and how to prevent catastrophe - Less Wrong Discussion
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I'm not an expert on astrophysics, or millitary technology. Luckily, I have a friend who is an expert on both and has super-hard science fiction world building as his hobby. So I'm just going to quote him on why this isn't as big a deal as people think.
This is from a recent paper meant as an introduction the theoretical space warfare community -of course that is a thing- consensus with an emphasis on what are called plausible mid-future scenarios.
Of course it's a thing. It's actually much more interesting than regular space opera stuff like Honor Harrington. If you have a spare day, read through Project Rho. (I drew on them a bunch for my own space warfare essay.)
I love Project Rho!
Weaponization of engines is also possible although since we lost the promise and the peril of the 1950s it looks like there are going to be no high-power non-chemical engines.
What about private nuclear cores? Could be an issue.
Asteroid strikes are an entirely different issue of course.