Directed Energy System for Targeting of Asteroids and ExplorRation

Directed Energy System for Targeting of Asteroids and ExplorRation (DE-STAR) is a proposed University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) Experimental Cosmology Group experimental astrophysics group primarily focused on studies of the early universe and astrophysical applications of directed energy. They propose a system to deflect asteroids, comets, and other near-Earth objects (NEO) that pose a credible risk of impact. The objects that cross Earth’s orbit, even relatively small ones, can still have a devastating effect. UCSB group proposes an orbital planetary defense system capable of heating the surface of potentially hazardous objects to the point of vaporization. DE-STAR is a modular phased array of kilowatt class lasers powered by photovoltaics, see directed energy weapon.[1][2][3][4]

The same UCSB Experimental Cosmology group also proposed using the system as a method of propelling small spacecraft to 0.4% of the speed of light.[5]

References

  1. ^ "DE-STAR: Directed Energy Planetary Defense". UCSB Experimental Cosmology Group.
  2. ^ Lubin, Philip; Brashears, Travis. "Directed Energy Planetary Defense" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-02-24.
  3. ^ "Planetary Defense Coordination Office". NASA. 22 December 2015.
  4. ^ Lubin, Philip; Hughes, Gary B.; Bible, Jacob J.; Bublitz, Jesse; Arriola, Joshua; Motta, Caio; Suen, Jon; Johansson, Isabella; Riley, Jordan; Sarvian, Nilou; et al. (2014-02-18). "Toward directed energy planetary defense" (PDF). Optical Engineering. 53 (2): 025103. Bibcode:2014OptEn..53b5103L. doi:10.1117/1.OE.53.2.025103. hdl:1721.1/88427. ISSN 0091-3286. S2CID 1426239.
  5. ^ Bible, J. J.; Johansson, Isabella; Hughes, Gary B.; Lubin, Philip M. (2013-09-24). "Relativistic propulsion using directed energy". In Taylor, Edward W.; Cardimona, David A. (eds.). Nanophotonics and Macrophotonics for Space Environments VII. Vol. 8876. San Diego, United States: SPIE. p. 38. Bibcode:2013SPIE.8876E..05B. doi:10.1117/12.2035346. ISBN 9780819497260. S2CID 959135.