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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.