Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ames-lm.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!hou3c!hocda!houxm!houxz!vax135!floyd!cmcl2!seismo!hao!ames-lm!al
From: al@ames-lm.UUCP (Al Globus)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: High Frontier
Message-ID: <328@ames-lm.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 12-Jun-84 13:34:08 EDT
Article-I.D.: ames-lm.328
Posted: Tue Jun 12 13:34:08 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 14-Jun-84 00:05:42 EDT
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 24

I received a query as to what papers have been pulled from conferences
by DOD recently.  The information comes from Aviation Week within the
last few months.  Unfortunately I don't have time to go dig the details
out, but I believe they were mostly information technology papers.  Note
that cryptologists submit their papers to pre-censorship even when they
are not DOD funded.  This is suposedly voluntary.

I have an excercise for those who think Star Wars can protect us.

	1.  Estimate the number of atomic explosions the U.S. can absorb.

	2.  Divide by 8,000 (approximate number of Soviet warheads that can
	    reach the U.S.) to get the percentage success required.

	3.  Realize that ICBM's take about a half hour and submarine missles
	    as little as 10 seconds to reach U.S. cities.

	4.  Figure out how to test star wars sufficiently to have confidence
	    in success.

If, after going through the above, you still believe that star wars can
protect the U.S. population against a determined attack by the Soviet Union
I have several bridges near here I'd like to sell you.  A good deal, only
$1 trillion in OEM quantities.