US government unable to pull off a MIRACL

Nov. 1, 1997
The US military`s decision to test-fire a million-watt, 4-µm chemical laser against a surveillance satellite in space, approved by Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen and senior US government officials in early October (see p. 20), is uncertain as Laser Focus World goes to print. One test subsequent to the approval was postponed due to a software problem, while a second was scrubbed because of cloudy skies over the launch site at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Department of D

US government unable to pull off a MIRACL

The US military`s decision to test-fire a million-watt, 4-µm chemical laser against a surveillance satellite in space, approved by Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen and senior US government officials in early October (see p. 20), is uncertain as Laser Focus World goes to print. One test subsequent to the approval was postponed due to a software problem, while a second was scrubbed because of cloudy skies over the launch site at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. Department of Defense officials now say that deterioration of the satellite`s power supply and of its orbit may cause cancellation of the experiment, the window for which closed in mid- to late-October. The USA has no other satellite that would be appropriate for the test, officials said.

Sponsored Recommendations

March 31, 2025
Enhance your remote sensing capabilities with Chroma's precision-engineered optical filters, designed for applications such as environmental monitoring, geospatial mapping, and...
March 31, 2025
Designed for compatibility with a wide range of systems, Chroma's UV filters are engineered to feature high transmission, superior out-of-band blocking, steep edge transitions...
March 31, 2025
Discover strategies to balance component performance and system design, reducing development time and costs while maximizing efficiency.
March 31, 2025
Explore the essential role of optical filters in enhancing Raman spectroscopy measurements including the various filter types and their applications in improving signal-to-noise...

Voice your opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Laser Focus World, create an account today!