Plasma shield - comms, ISR problems and decisions

[Scott Kenny]

At hypersonic speeds wouldn't the aircraft also be enveloped partially or fully by a plasma-sheath of ionised air?

Yes. So you also need to have sensors that can see through the plasma sheath.

 

[NMaude]

Such a plasma-sheath would also have a large IR-signature.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Such a plasma-sheath would also have a large IR-signature.

I was honestly including the plasma sheath as part of the craft's IR signature.

 

[NMaude]

So you also need to have sensors that can see through the plasma sheath.

Does such tech exist? The brilliant IR-glow from the sheath would dazzle any optical-sensors and the plasma ions would either absorb or reflect any RF-signals.

 

[quellish]

Does such tech exist? The brilliant IR-glow from the sheath would dazzle any optical-sensors and the plasma ions would either absorb or reflect any RF-signals.

Yes, solutions were demonstrated in the 1980s.

 

[NMaude]

Yes, solutions were demonstrated in the 1980s.

Are the details available or are the results still classified?

 

[paralay]

Are the details available or are the results still classified?

 

[quellish]

Are the details available or are the results still classified?

SWERVE test flights, Air Force SBGV program, others

 

[flateric]

A little problem with BOR-6 experiments results that it never flew.

 

[paralay]

We are talking about radio communication via plasma, "elephant tusks" is one of the solutions

 

[NMaude]

"elephant tusks" is one of the solutions

What are these "Elephant Tusks"?

 

[Josh_TN]

Elon Tusk

Elon Tusk is the CEO of Tuskla and friend of Rick Sanchez. He is a multiverse variant of the business magnate, Elon Musk, from the Tusk Dimension. Elon Tusk was described by Rick to be less controlling than the human-version of Elon, but stills shows similar controlling behavior. He is aware of...

rickandmorty.fandom.com

 

[paralay]

https://dzen.ru/a/Y3Y-NQ14_Sz_T0mz

But in theory, of course, everything always looks simpler than the implementation of the idea in practice. Therefore, the BOR-6 project was initiated to test the feasibility of implementing such an idea. This version of the BOR was similar to the BOR-4. However, the ship had two "horns" that were supposed to deploy at the stage of re-entry into the atmosphere. They were positioned in front of the incoming plasma front. This made it possible to keep in touch with the car at any time.

The antennas were located at the ends of these "horns". Their shape was pointed to avoid the formation of secondary shock waves, and with them a large amount of plasma. The horns, which gave the ship the appearance of a kind of space "bug", were cooled by gas. In their production, special ablative materials were used to prevent fire at high temperatures.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

https://dzen.ru/a/Y3Y-NQ14_Sz_T0mz

Elephant tusks? More like walrus I think.

The wingtip version for Buran looks much more workable.

 

[Archibald]

What da heck are those things ??

 

[flateric]

Both variants never flew and since then comm problems were solved with much more elegant engineering solutions.

 

[publiusr]

On the Kren system (scroll down) of Cosmos 869:

The Space Review: Self-defense in space: protecting Russian spacecraft from ASAT attacks

 

[NMaude]

since then comm problems were solved with much more elegant engineering solutions

What were these more elegant solutions?

 

[martinbayer]

Both variants never flew and since then comm problems were solved with much more elegant engineering solutions.

Not really answering the actual question.