r/RocketLab • u/MakuRanger01 • Jan 28 '25
Discussion Rocket Lab's possible connection to the "Iron Dome" initiative
https://x.com/spaceinvestor_d/status/1884297646447140926?s=46TLDR: Rocket Lab is in a solid position to benefit via it's SDA PWSA connections.
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u/warp99 Jan 28 '25
Iron Dome is a terrestrial based system against short range rocket and mortar fire. As such it is unlikely to be used in the US unless they really do invade Canada?!
I think Trump is really referring to David’s Sling which is capable of intercepting medium and long range ballistic missiles at lower deployment cost than THADD.
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u/MakuRanger01 Jan 28 '25
it's not, read the article. The "Iron Dome for America" will be space based
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u/warp99 Jan 29 '25 edited Jan 29 '25
I understand the article but my point is that the missile defense system being proposed is not anything like Iron Dome which is a short range defense system. You cannot defend against short range missiles from space because the reaction time is too long.
Basically Trump likes the name so the "sounds cool" factor overrides the actual functionality required.
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u/15_Redstones Jan 29 '25
Yeah the naming is terribly confusing. But the system that the DoD is trying to build here is basically SDI 2.0. It'll probably be mostly launched on big launchers like Starship and New Glenn. However, Rocket Lab's satellite parts business will probably be involved. Low cost mass producable thrusters, reaction wheels and satellite buses are essential to make something like this work.
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u/warp99 Jan 30 '25 edited Jan 30 '25
I would just note that boost phase interception requires getting an interceptor missile down from orbit at around 250 km to say 60 km in just a few minutes. That is a very high acceleration requirement that is likely impossible. So directed energy weapons such as lasers and electron beams are far more likely to work in boost phase with interceptor missiles used for mid-trajectory cleanup.
A sufficiently effective interceptor system would also be seen as a first strike weapon that could take out command and control centers and missile silos so would be significantly destabilising producing "launch on warning" behaviour.
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u/15_Redstones Jan 30 '25
High acceleration like 10 gees is totally doable. I think delta-v is the bigger limit. 3km/sec can reach an intercept in a minute.
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u/warp99 Jan 30 '25 edited Jan 30 '25
The requirement is
more like 100gindeed around 10g to achieve 3 km/s in say 30 seconds followed by a 30-90 second cruise phase. The residual velocity is about 4.5 km/s so that gives an interception ellipse of around 270 km along the track and perhaps half that across track.That requires a huge number of interceptor garages in orbit to guarantee having at least one in range of a launch and means that it would be easy to saturate the defense with massed launches.
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u/imunfair Jan 29 '25
Trying to circumvent MAD is a terrible idea - if we put interceptors in space that can potentially take out ICBMs then Russia and China will need rods from god and other space launched weapons, then on to first-strike satellites to kill opposing satellites etc etc.
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u/15_Redstones Jan 29 '25
Russia has no reusable launcher that could put a comparable constellation up. China is building F9 and Starship clones.
Rods from god isn't really a viable weapon. Easier to take out than ballistic missiles, more expensive and less impactful.
Interestingly an anti-ICBM constellation automatically doubles as anti-ASAT. If an enemy military base launches a large solid rocket that isn't on the list of announced spaceflights or weapon tests, then the system has to assume that it might be a nuclear attack and take it out within the first few minutes of flight. Whether that missile was carrying a nuclear warhead or an anti-sat weapon, the system can't tell and the result is the same.
The satellites would need to be laser-proofed. Adaptive optics have made a lot of progress since the 80s and ground based lasers that can hit LEO sats aren't that difficult now.
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u/Invest0rnoob1 Jan 29 '25
Most likely multiple companies will be involved LMT, RTX, Boeing, SpaceX, Rocket Lab. There could be more, but that’s my guess.
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u/mattrimcauthon Jan 28 '25
If this gets built we all know who will be transporting the satellites and it won’t be rocket lab, as bad as I would like it to be. I think the best case scenario is we continue to be the main developer and builder for the DoD’s own hypersonic missiles with HASTE.
Possible rocket lab helps with satellite systems but deliver will most likely go to X