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| Destruction of planet Despayre in the Original Star Wars Film |
Today on Far Future Horizons we join Dr. Michio Kaku for another exciting episode of Sci Fi Science.
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| Death Star Super Laser |
His mission, to come up with innovative ways to destroy the most dreaded weapon in the know Galaxy - The Death Star.
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Schematics of the first Death Star |
Dr. Michio Kaku brings physics to bear on the most iconic scene in sci fi and designs a star fighter that could blow up a moon-sized Death Star.
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| Project Orion Nuclear-Powered Orbital Battleship |
One United States Air Force project that came close to creating a real life Death Star was the Orion Nuclear-Powered Orbital Battleship.
In 1955, NACA
(later to be known as NASA) was working on a nuclear-powered spaceship for
trips to near-Earth orbit up to interstellar travel to neighboring star systems
like Alpha Centauri. Nonetheless, the United States Air Force gotten involved
in the Project Orion program which they’ve wanted it spacecraft to deliver
satellites and crew members to orbiting space stations. However, one of the
most radical, but little known USAF Project Orion proposals was the
nuclear-powered orbital battleship that was proposed in the late-1950’s. While
this system seems like something out of a science fiction novel or a movie, the
massive nuclear-powered armed spaceship would orbit high above the Earth and if
needed be, unleashes it nuclear payload on multiple targets.
The Orion
orbital battleship was supposed to use a massive nuclear pulse rocket
engine that used fission material bombs to power the giant spacecraft. Original
plan was to launch the spacecraft to orbit using its nuclear-powered rocket
from bases in Southwestern United States or from special launch platforms in
the ocean like aircraft carriers or modified ships. However, due to safety
reasons and nuclear fallout, they’ve decided to launch it instead using
chemical rockets to Earth’s orbit. Orion was a giant massive spacecraft which
was 286ft which was taller than most skyscrapers in that era and 164ft in
diameter. It would had a crew of close to thirty people onboard that would have
operated the orbital battleship. The spacecraft would use a special damper or
shock absorbers and shielding to protect the crew from radiation from the
ship’s engines and space. Nevertheless a unmanned variant of the Orion orbital
battleship was planned too Furthermore, Orion also carried five smaller
spaceplanes for resupplies, crew replacements, and emergency life boat in case
the Orion was having problems or was getting attacked. It was also quite
possible that those small spacecraft were used in defensive and offensive roles
including protecting the Orion from Soviet spaceplanes and satellites along
with providing reconnaissance and strike roles if necessary
Nevertheless
though, the main mission for the Orion battleship would be nuclear deterrence
against nations like the Soviet Union, China, and Warsaw Pact nations. The
orbital battleship would carry up to 500 20MT nuclear warheads in the frontal
part of the spaceship which can be fired downwards while orbiting above a
target.
The first and second seasons of Sci Fi Science, hosted by Dr. Michio Kaku is a available on DVD from the Discovery Channel’s online store.
This episode of SciFi Science is also available from Amazon's Instant Video.
Sci Fi Science - Destroy the Death Star
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