Star Wars research: the second stage of a Titan 1 missile, the target for a ground test of a MIRACL chemical laser at the White Sands Missile Range, N


Star Wars research: the second stage of a Titan 1 missile, the target for a ground test of a MIRACL chemical laser at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The experiment was designed to test the vulnerability of liquid-propelled ballistic missiles to lasers; the rocket target was loaded externally to simulate flight conditions typical of a ballistic missile but contained no warhead or fuel. The laser took several seconds to eventually destroy its target. The experiment was conducted as a part of the U. S. Government's Strategic Defense Inititiative - the so- called Star Wars program. Experiment was performed on September 6, 1985.


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Photo credit: © U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: chemical, combat, defense, laser, miracl, missile, program, programme, range, research, sands, sdi, space, star, test, war, wars, weapon, white