Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site aurora.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!umcp-cs!gymble!lll-crg!dual!qantel!vlsvax1!zehntel!hplabs!ames!aurora!al From: al@aurora.UUCP (Al Globus) Newsgroups: net.space,net.physics Subject: A physics/space problem beyond my abilities Message-ID: <370@aurora.UUCP> Date: Thu, 20-Jun-85 20:59:05 EDT Article-I.D.: aurora.370 Posted: Thu Jun 20 20:59:05 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 5-Jul-85 04:08:39 EDT Distribution: net Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA Lines: 10 Xref: watmath net.space:4224 net.physics:2736 How massive must a spacecraft be such that, when deorbited from low Earth orbit (say 300 miles), the craft will impact the Earth with an explosive power equivalent to the Hiroshima bomb? Express the answer in tons. The reason I want the answer is that, if Star Wars battle stations are hardened by adding lots of mass, at what point are the battle stations as dangerous as ICBMs? Thanx in advance. I'll summarize for the net.