Airborne Laser testing progresses

[TteFAboB]

I'm not impressed until the beams travel below the speed of light and in short bursts, like in Star Wars, like flying colored office lamps. That's an impressive technology: a colored office lamp canon!

[Bill Nichols]

Video of last night's shootdown has just been released by the Missile Defense Agency. Get it here:

http://www.mda.mil/global/videos/abl..._11_feb_10.wmv

More info and photos here:

http://www.mda.mil/news/gallery_altb.html

[Letum]

Originally Posted by TteFAboB

I'm not impressed until the beams travel below the speed of light and in short bursts, like in Star Wars, like flying colored office lamps. That's an impressive technology: a colored office lamp canon!

The beam is traveling below light speed.
Points to anyone who knows why.

[razark]

Originally Posted by Letum

The beam is traveling below light speed.
Points to anyone who knows why.

Because it's traveling through atmosphere, and not a vacuum?

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Letum

The beam is traveling below light speed.
Points to anyone who knows why.

no the beam is traveling the speed of light, it is just traveling at the speed of light through the specific medium (the atmosphere). Laser "beams" always travel at the speed of light, just that the speed of light changes.

Now you are correct that the laser "beam" traveling through the atmosphere is traveling slower than what we think is the maximum speed of light (Speed of light in a vacuum)

[d@rk51d3]

Originally Posted by TteFAboB

I'm not impressed until the beams travel below the speed of light and in short bursts, like in Star Wars, like flying colored office lamps. That's an impressive technology: a colored office lamp canon!

.......... and make a really cool "pew pew" sound.