Table C. 2-2 PBW LETHALITY MECHANISMS SUMMARY C.2.5 Summary The parameters required for a useful exoatmospheric PBW system are probably attainable. The power required to operate a PBW system could certainly be supplied by either a power satellite with multigigawatt power-generation capability or a COTV with 250-600 MW of onboard electric power. Final judgments, as to practicality and to the time required to actually develop hardware, will depend upon the application and upon the progress of present development efforts. Of the applications of interest to the SPS study, self-defense and antisatellite offense appear most promising to consider because of probable lesser demands on the system. The great range of other possible targets, (e.g., 40,000 km from synchronous orbit to the Earth’s surface) and the shielding provided by the Earth's atmosphere, are decisive obstacles for some applications. The number of systems that might need to be deployed depends on the range and coverage demanded. Parmentola and Tsipis have stated, for example, that about 150 satellite-based PBW's would be required to cover potential ICBM launch sites from an altitude of 1000 km. Only a few would be needed in geosynchronous orbits, if the problems associated with a much greater range could be overcome. The time required to destroy a single target could be an important limitation in any event. SPS elements would also be vulnerable to PBW attack from another exoatmospheric system.
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