Dale.Amon%CMU-RI-FAS@sri-unix.UUCP (06/17/84)
I'm not sure of the exact answer, but I would refer people to an article in Science some months back disussing the release of radioactive pellets in a Mexican junk yard. It was clearly stated stated that the US had offered Mexico (and been refused) the service of finding the remaining pellets, and I believe they stated that it could be done from the air. If they can do this for the tiny (albiet VERY hot) pellets, I'm quite sure they can do it for the case of several kilo's of fissionables in a bomb. ASATS REVISITED: I am not necessarily advocating 'space marines': I'm simply pointing out that the concept of an ASAT treaty is utterly worthless when we have some odd thousands of people living in space. Satellites have had a temporary respite, but space is now becoming a part of the human sphere. Satellites in 10 or 20 years will have no more security than a spy plane/ship or ground installation. Believing otherwise is dangerously fanciful. One must learn to differentiate between what one wishes to be true, and what is true; any other path is folly. I might add that the Soviets tried to claim that the shuttle was a weapon because it had the potential to interfere with their satellites. Sure we can ban the cute little air launched ASAT. But it DOESN'T DO A DAMN BIT OF GOOD. The electronics and computer revolutions, not to mention the inevitable inhabitation of space will make an ASAT trivial, just as the newly tested anti-missile worked flawlessly on its first test. It all gets easier and easier, and does so at an ACCELERATING pace. My hope is for our grandchildren, that in exploring the solar system, they will come to find the dangers of our era difficult to comprehend.