Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site lanl-a.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!cmcl2!lanl-a!jlg From: jlg@lanl-a.UUCP Newsgroups: net.space Subject: Re: space station Message-ID: <3392@lanl-a.UUCP> Date: Tue, 13-Mar-84 19:46:46 EST Article-I.D.: lanl-a.3392 Posted: Tue Mar 13 19:46:46 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 14-Mar-84 19:47:50 EST References: <152@hocse.UUCP> Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory Lines: 13 Why would the pentagon regard a space station as vulnerable? It really isn't. There aren't weapon systems designed to attack deep space objects (even satellite killers only operate in LEO). Constructing such a weapon system could only have one purpose (to attack the space station) and would be politically difficult. Finally, the construction of a manned space station would make it difficult to attack (thick radiation and meteor shielding, and perhaps some magnetic field generators to push large spacebourne objects from a distance). All these things make a space station MUCH less vulnerable than many important earthbound targets. Besides all this -- attacking the space station would be considered an act of war, something that would be foolish given the present (and probably future) state of the world.