Low tech still relevant today.... someday obsolete?

[USAF_Vet]

The Science channel had a July 4th "Firefly" marathon. As I've been watching it (DVR'd the whole series) I was reminded of this thread. The guns they used are all pretty much the same as today, with minor modifications, mostly cosmetic. Although, the "pew pew lazer beam" sound effects kinda soured me. It it looks like a shotgun, loads like a shotgun and fires like a shotgun, it should sound like a shotgun. Not some dinky Star Wars effect. OTOH, when George Lucas re-released Star Wars in THX, the laser beams lost their pew pew sound effects for a blam blam pow pow effecgt, which also soured me. If it looks like a ray gun... you get the idea.

But Firefly tech seems a bit more likely, in my perspective. Guns won't change as much as the ammunition fired from them.

 

[USAF_Vet]

While we are working with laser technology on a weaponized basis today, it's admittedly a long way off for the standard infantyman. The USAF Airborn Laser system is designed as an Anti ICBM weapon. Even during research phases of the weapon, the modified 747 would have to keep the beam on target long enough to superheat the fuel cell inside the missile, which could take several seconds. So imagine any pilot of a 747 trying to aim his/ her aircraft at a target moving several times faster than the aircraft itself. Granted, auto pilot aiming would probably be the best way to go about this, and the ICBM would be engaged from a few miles away, negating a lot of the movement necessary to keep on target. Oh, and the fact that it takes a 747 to house the weapon and the power supply is worth noting, and that it only has enough energy stored to fire the laser for a handful of seconds.

Considering our currect technology, with the ABL, I think we stand a better chance of building the Death Star over a man portable energy weapon.

 

[Snowdog]

Isn't there some sort of automated mirror targeting system on the nose that tracks the target?
I would hope the pilot would have little more on his plate than piloting the aircraft (with the weapon deployment being the work of a separate crew).

I know very litte about such things. I believe my knowledge comes from a Popular Science. It's fun to read about though.

 

[USAF_Vet]

It's probably got a targeting system interfaced with the autopilot. but like anything on an aircraft, the pilot has to be able to perform the function manually.

"sorry Los Angeles, you're gonna get nuked because the autopilot system is inop."


Wouldn't be such a bad thing now would it?

 

[Morrell]

not to get off topic, but just watched first episode of Firefly lastnight. Loved seeing the Spanish Astra 600!

 

[benEzra]

The primary reason for a lack of travel is the massive expense.

And the reason it's so expensive is that chemical fuels carry relatively little energy. This means that, using chemical fuels:

(1) Any interplanetary space vehicle has to have an insanely-difficult-to-achieve mass fraction to get into space in the first place (meaning both lots of throwaway stages, and cutting-edge lightweight materials and construction, both of which are expensive);

(2) Current systems have such limited delta-V that the only way to get to the planets is to coast there via minor orbit changes, meaning you have to have onboard life-support for two or three years just to get to Mars and back. A self-contained system that can keep one or more humans alive in a vacuum for three years at a stretch is unimaginably expensive. And to get to the outer planets, with chemical fuels, you'd be looking at round trips of a decade or two.

If you had some sort of propulsion technology that would allow you to accelerate at 1g for days or weeks, it would be way cheaper to get to the other planets. You don't need a hyper-expensive recycling environment or years worth of air and food if you can get where you're going in a week.

It's probably got a targeting system interfaced with the autopilot. but like anything on an aircraft, the pilot has to be able to perform the function manually.

It's all controlled by the crew in the back, just like an AWACS radar (and the targeting is completely automated; no human could work with that kind of precision).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_YAL-1

http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/gallery/images/military/abl/pics-clips/abl15.html