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.