re: Nazi Super Weapon - The Sun Gun

I'm not sure it has to be one mile in diameter. I'm no optician. In 1937 such was the belief. I'm wondering if advancements have not been made since then. We've definitely done a lot of work with parabolic designs, to begin with.

Maintenance and control in orbit should be no big deal. I'm at a loss. ???

No one is going to attack it (launch a rocket to break it, or whatever) until it has been used against them. I haven't postulated that we should build this thing and then scrap our Navy, Air Force, et al! Anyone who attacks the thing is then at war with The United States. Pretty big deterrent to throwing a rock at the thing!!!

If we ever started using the thing then Yeah someone would be throwing at rocks at it. Good luck with that. Ten cities will be toast before your little missile leaves the atmosphere. And then our own orbiting defense systems come into play. They're there to shoot down your little missiles. Hell, the main weapon itself might have smaller mirrors on board in order to incinerate your rockets before they reach it.

This thing is plausible. And it would be BAD. Like Death Star BAD. We need to get on this.