Kodiak Launch Complex

[sarongsong]

August 20, 2005 (http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/ap_alaska/story/6838069p-6733484c.html)
"...NARROW CAPE, Alaska (AP) - Hundreds of people got a close-up look of Alaska's commercial rocket launching range Saturday in the first open house at the 3,700-acre site on Kodiak Island..."

[Maksutov]

August 20, 2005 (http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/ap_alaska/story/6838069p-6733484c.html)
"...NARROW CAPE, Alaska (AP) - Hundreds of people got a close-up look of Alaska's commercial rocket launching range Saturday in the first open house at the 3,700-acre site on Kodiak Island..."
I remember that Athena 1 launch. Athena 1 and 2: nice launch system that's very underused.

Dubya's got his own version of SDI? Must have forgotten about that. But why am I not surprised? One wonders how much money is being spent on something that's probably already obsolete, unnecessary post-Cold War, and can't defend against submarine-launched missiles off our coasts.

Meanwhile the Voyagers go silent for the want of 4 million. :evil:

[Van Rijn]

So far, they've been working on fairly limited missile intercept systems that might be applied to theater defense when hot spots occur and limited U.S. defense. At this point it has nothing like the scope of SDI. Mind you, I would like to see continued work on a real SDI system. Today, things are pretty quiet, but I wouldn't want to bet on where (for example) China might be in 20 years.

[Maksutov]

So far, they've been working on fairly limited missile intercept systems that might be applied to theater defense when hot spots occur and limited U.S. defense. At this point it has nothing like the scope of SDI. Mind you, I would like to see continued work on a real SDI system. Today, things are pretty quiet, but I wouldn't want to bet on where (for example) China might be in 20 years.
I understand your apprehension re China. But from the outset, SDI struck me as being effective only if the attacking warheads were in space, i.e., some kind of suborbital ballistic trajectory.

The problem is that weapons now include submarine-launched missiles that can reach their targets in a few minutes while flying through the atmosphere, and cruise missiles that come in under the radar. With an effective SDI-type defense, future enemies would be crazy not to redeploy their efforts towards the last two delivery systems, rather than ICBMs.

BTW, no prejudice toward any of the various systems here, since during the 80s I worked on aspects of all three, including the pop-out fins of the Tomahawk.

[Enzp]

Just what are they launching into space? Bears or chewing tobacco?

[Maksutov]

Just what are they launching into space? Bears or chewing tobacco?
Spy satellites. Affectionately known as "Kojaks with Kodaks from Kodiak". :D

[Enzp]

They are launching the KKK into space? IS that good or bad?

[Maksutov]

They are launching the KKK into space? IS that good or bad?
:D Good if there's no life support.

Hope they packed rubber sheets for when they find out Mel Brooks and company beat them there. :wink:

[Enzp]

Oh the irony, nothing burns in space. Those boys will be cross when they find out...

[Gillianren]

not to interrupt the puns, but I'm gonna.

my mother has a degree (that she doesn't use, but that's another story) in laser electro-optics, which she got back in the 80s. (one of her teachers was my 4th grade teacher's son; we had said teachers at the same time.) one of her teachers also worked on SDI, and said categorically that it wouldn't work, but, hey, he was getting paid for it. though apparently little enough so that he still taught at a community college part time.