I thought this was some dumb space denial ploy because if you set off a nuke in orbit what you get are radiation bands that persist for months or years cooking every satellite that crosses them. A lot of the "ZOMFG electromagnetic pulse" bullshit favored by the preppers comes from a misinterpretation of the results of pumping the Van Allen belts with ionizing radiation.
My thinking was that Russians use Molniya orbits far more than any other space-faring nation (because they're cheap). This gives them the advantage of spending only 20% or so of their time in the orbits that they would theoretically trash for everyone else, giving them more survivability in the event of an ionized theater. But a few folx I trust rolled their eyes and pointed out that Putin clearly has some crazy-eyed version of Edward Teller whispering in his ear and that the most likely thing is nuclear-pumped-X-ray-laser-bullshit.
- Super-Excalibur would be so powerful it would be able to burn through the atmosphere, thereby countering the concerns about fast-firing missiles. The extra power also meant it could be divided up into more beams, making a single weapon able to be directed into as many as a hundred thousand beams. Instead of dozens of Excalibur weapons in pop-up launchers, Teller suggested that a single weapon in geostationary orbit "the size of an executive desk which applied this technology could potentially shoot down the entire Soviet land-based missile force if it were to be launched into the module's field of view."
Sho' nuff:
- The Russian government has experimented with the use of nuclear explosions or directed energy to disable satellites, according to one U.S. official, who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive information. Experts have raised concerns that a nation could detonate a nuclear weapon in space to interfere with satellites through the emission of radiation.
So here's your thought experiment:
- Be Russian
- Be a research scientist
- Be given the task of cobbling together a proof-of-concept for Dear Leader
- Be knowing your entire arsenal hasn't been tested since 1990
- Be knowing it's been maintained by thieves and conscripts ever since
- Be knowing your country tried to loft a 1MW CO2 laser 40 goddamn years ago so really, there's nothing pragmatic to be discussed here
- Be also knowing that 1MW laser suffered a "math oopsie" not unlike certain other math oopsies
Do YOU want to speedrun the Strategic Defense Initiative on 2024 Russian budgets?