Gravity Well Tactics

The gravity well (the effects of  gravity as a force eminating from the earth and the moon) as depicted  (Earth, Moon and Sun) and hence the name of the site are so important that we set up a section devoted just to the physics of the well's impacts.

 

The tactics of space warfare in the extraterristal but near Moon space are also largely governed by the Well. The Gravity Well forces clear thinking about supply chains in Space.

 

Adding In Space Refueling (as in SpaceX's plans for its own purposes) makes the gravity well a force multiplier(many more craft of varying types for multiple missions simultaneously) by allowing for (a) stored fuel/refueling at the L-1 and L-2 points for the C&C Center as well as all the supporting offense and defense platforms, (2) in GEO/LEO points for the same, and (3) refueling all the various stations and weapon systems platforms on the Moon itself.

 

Hit the Down Arrow and See Gavity Well TACTICS DISCUSSION below

 

Check out the NOAA site (https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news/points-of-lagrange-satellite-million-miles-home) for the Lagrange Point (L-1, and L-2 thru 5) overview.

This site greatly appreciates any meaningful comments, articles, or other submissions  to advance the topics covered. We will gladly cite and reference any work or references; however, we reserve the exclusive and absolute right to accept or reject any submission, as we are mindful of the subject matter of this site and its ramifications.

Gravity Well Tactical Considerations

       American Technology in the Gravity Well

 

During the Cold War in the 1960’s-1980’s, Russia and America developed anti-satellite weapons.  Russia had two-dozen launches of weapons to prove their concepts and technologies.  In the process tons of space debris were created.  A decade later, the Russians viewed the Space Shuttle as a huge weapons delivery platform but failed to launch its own Buran copycat.

 

Today, four decades later, the American Space Force has the benefit of over two-dozen revolutionary American inventions which the Space Force planners can apply to defend national interests in space, ideally in the neutrality of the Gravity Well.  These technologies include :spacecraft, launchers, on-orbit habitats and a myriad of novel weapons.  A preliminary review of these technologies include:
-SpaceX launch vehicles, including the Falcon 9 and new Starship, which set the commercial standard for payload size and economy, even including the reuse of the first stage.  Future missions may be able to carry 100 tons to the Moon within each vehicle.
-SpaceX Dragon Capsule provides the safe transport of astronauts to space stations
-SpaceX’s STARLAB and VAST’s HAVEN-2 are potential replacements for the International Space Station (ISS) with massive habitats sheltered from solar storms and will even provide artificial gravity
-Inflatable modules, collapsed for low-cost launch, are available from Lockheed-Martin and ILC Dover and provide high-volume crew and storage areas with a flexible environment shielded from micrometeorites.
-Hardened Computer Chips from AMD and Intel provide speed and data processing capabilities sufficient to support Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications and advance video displays
-Supercomputer processing from IBM enables effective mission support using massive amounts of real-world and spatial data
-Sensors such as advanced motion and proximity detectors and ultra-high-resolution cameras assist in docking maneuvers, attitude control and target identification
-Weather forecasting, even Space Weather, is available via multiple satellites in GEO orbit and at the L-1 position in the Gravity Well
-New era telescopes provide superior long-distance resolution enhanced by modern software applications
-Radio frequencies have experienced important developments for sub-band classified uses
-Cell Phone and Wi-Fi connectivity now can even benefit from direct access to satellite constellations
-Battery technology has experienced a quantum leap in energy and power density in the last decade.  Tesla’s 4860 battery can store 1,000 watts in a few pounds.  When combined with modern, more efficient, solar panels, whole stations, satellites and weapons have mission-ready power
-Internal Protocol (IP), the Internet universally provides access to centuries of data, modern supercomputers to process the data and gigabit processing of spacecraft downlinks
-Satellite propulsion has undergone significant change as well.  Iodine is replacing xenon to create long-lasting ion propulsion via Busek and Hall thrusters
-Stealth design, shapes and coatings have dramatically impacted dozens of airborne platforms, even Drones
-Drones and Microsats harness the miniaturization of subsystems to support a wide variety of missions on Earth and in Space
-International Space Station (ISS) has a quarter-century of advanced technologies and hundreds of spin-offs directly applicable to American defense initiatives in Space.  This includes astronaut’s spacesuits capable of protection from temperatures such as -260F to +280F on the Moon
-Remote arms can pluck small and large items out of the universe
Two generations of U.S. Air Force planners can apply the above technologies to create hardened structures, protected astronauts in an Earth-like environment and a wide variety of lethal weapons.  Some of these novel weapons include but are not limited to:
         -AI-based clusters of stealth Microsats
         -Obscurant coatings
         -Electromagnetic acceleration missiles
         -Radio Frequency jamming
         -Compact warheads which destroy without creating debris
         -Remote arms to thrust satellites into useless orbits in the Gravity Well
         -Covert attacks using multiple weapons, decoys, false maneuvers and platforms acting like commercial communications satellites or even space debris And many more which can be the subject of future discussions.  And, of course, modern ground stations have experienced personnel and advanced communications for on-orbit visibility to enhance weapon lethality in the Gravity Well and beyond.

 

some tactical Tools that are now available Include:

  1.  

  2. 1. One concept for military armament in the Gravity Well is for a constellation of Microsats.  

  3. a. One such configuration would be a Dual Satellite with a Payload Spacecraft and a Power Spacecraft joined by a metal carriage for launch and deployment.

  4. Microsat and Carriage dimensions: 3 Feet high; 1 foot wide

  5. b. Four Dual Satellites would be stacked on one side of a 12-foot central carriage for launch.  The Launch Carriage would accommodate 16 satellites.  A SpaceX Starship could launch two carriages thereby placing 32 Microsats in pre-positioned orbits within the Gravity Well.  The Starship fairing and launch capacity is so large that another carriage and/or secondary payloads could be launched on the same ELV.

  6. c. Payload satellites would include dual communications, printed circuit controller and power pack modules.  Two miniature hydrazine propulsion tanks would allow both station-keeping and deployment to an enemy target satellite or capsule.

  7. d. Power satellites would be attached to the Payload Satellite until a mission occurs.  The Power Satellite would deploy twin 36-square-foot solar arrays capable of generating about 540 watts.  A Sun finder sensor would continuously orient the Dual Satellites toward the Sun to ensure maximum power.

  8. e. Payload satellites would accommodate a wide variety of payloads including, but not limited to the following: Communications packages, sensor suites, cameras, bombs/mines (eg: 3 Claymore mines on each satellite), obscurant propellant tanks and even dual “Locking Spears” with 12-foot cables to attach the Payload satellite to the enemy prior to weapon discharge.

  9. f. Real-time video would be  transmitted to either an orbiting or terrestrial command and control station on the Moon during the locking maneuvers and weapons discharge.

  10. More than one Payload Satellite could attack an enemy target.  

  11. g. Enemy response would be difficult.  The stealth Microsats are small enough to elude radars and would be camouflaged by the entire constellation.  Enemy response would be very difficult, and any weapon discharge by an enemy would be a high-value projectile seeking a low-value American asset.  The AI-smart constellation would sense an incoming projectile and disburse so the weapon would harmlessly pass through it.

  12. 2. Reconfigurable intelligent surfaces - A team of scientists from MPI-SP and RUB employed this technology to perform selective jamming. "You can think of the RIS device like a disco ball, which can reflect radio waves. The difference is that we can manipulate each mirror facet so that it directs the waves where we want them to," says Philipp Mackensen, lead author of this study. The team of researchers used the RIS system to successfully target just one of two devices, which were placed in very close proximity.

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