“Space Devastator” on the back cover of “Amazing Stories,” Vol. 13, No. 7 (July, 1939). Art by Julian S. Krupa.
“The most amazing, most deadly machine science could invent. The nation owning it would rule the world. [Forerunner of the Death Star]
“This machine, built in an orbit 10,000 miles above the earth, would be a second moon, obeying the same basic laws. Like the moon it would circle the earth on a steady path. Engineers have already worked out plans for building and operating such a devastator as this. It would by the world’s most powerful weapon. No nation could go to war with the threat of instant destruction of their cities by concentrated sunlight beams. It would eliminate war. But its uses would be beneficial in other ways. Weather could be controlled. Cities could be sunlit at night. Icebergs could be melted. Sun-power plants could be operated. It would be the perfect observatory. It would be a boon to space travel, as a landing station. It could communicate with ships and planets far away by light rays.” [Accompanying description]
Thankfully, a “Space Devastator” was never built. The closest we ever came to it was President Ronald Reagan’s proposed Strategic Defense Initiative, also known as “Star Wars.” It was a plan that read like science fiction: A system armed with an array of space-based X-ray lasers. The system would detect and deflect any nukes headed our way using concentrated laser beams. Over the course of 10 years (1983-1993), the government spent up to $30 billion on developing the concept, but the futuristic program remained just that – futuristic. It was formally scrapped by President Bill Clinton. [Source: History.com]
[Note: When the "Space Devastator" becomes feasible, you bet someone will want to build it.]
“Space Devastator” on the back cover of “Amazing Stories,” Vol. 13, No. 7 (July, 1939). Art by Julian S. Krupa.
“The most amazing, most deadly machine science could invent. The nation owning it would rule the world. [Forerunner of the Death Star]
“This machine, built in an orbit 10,000 miles above the earth, would be a second moon, obeying the same basic laws. Like the moon it would circle the earth on a steady path. Engineers have already worked out plans for building and operating such a devastator as this. It would by the world’s most powerful weapon. No nation could go to war with the threat of instant destruction of their cities by concentrated sunlight beams. It would eliminate war. But its uses would be beneficial in other ways. Weather could be controlled. Cities could be sunlit at night. Icebergs could be melted. Sun-power plants could be operated. It would be the perfect observatory. It would be a boon to space travel, as a landing station. It could communicate with ships and planets far away by light rays.” [Accompanying description]
Thankfully, a “Space Devastator” was never built. The closest we ever came to it was President Ronald Reagan’s proposed Strategic Defense Initiative, also known as “Star Wars.” It was a plan that read like science fiction: A system armed with an array of space-based X-ray lasers. The system would detect and deflect any nukes headed our way using concentrated laser beams. Over the course of 10 years (1983-1993), the government spent up to $30 billion on developing the concept, but the futuristic program remained just that – futuristic. It was formally scrapped by President Bill Clinton. [Source: History.com]
[Note: When the "Space Devastator" becomes feasible, you bet someone will want to build it.]