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Category Archives: Brilliant Pebbles

July 30, 2019—Whither Space Defense?

by Henry F. Cooper on July 29, 2019 in Boost-Phase Defenses, Brilliant Pebbles, Henry F. Cooper, High Frontier, Space Based Defense, Space Force

“So far, the only promising [boost phase] defense system concept has been a space based or satellite borne interceptor. Such a system requires many thousands of interceptors in space, but at a given instant only a small fraction will be in a position to attack. The economic feasibility of such systems is heavily dependent upon equipment reliability and upon enemy countermeasures.” ~ Harold N. Beveridge in his 1960 Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) ‘Project Defender” report Read Full Story

June 25, 2019—Are the “Stars” Aligning for Space Defense?

by Henry F. Cooper on June 24, 2019 in Brilliant Pebbles, DARPA, Henry F. Cooper, High Frontier, SDA, SDI, Space Based Defense, Space Based Interceptors, Space Force

Claims that the President’s Space Force proposal is in trouble are much overstated. Indeed, what is unfolding has many precedents in history where success proceeds in a “one-step-backward” and “two-steps-forward” manner. Indeed, maybe we are watching the development of a supportive alignment for founding major steps toward the President’s stated Space Force objective — including a role for space based defenses. Read Full Story

June 11, 2019—Follow SpaceX to Revive Cost-Effective Space Defense!

by Henry F. Cooper on June 10, 2019 in Brilliant Pebbles, Henry F. Cooper, High Frontier, Space Based Interceptors, SpaceX

SpaceX and others in the private sector are exploiting current technology that can enable a truly advanced space-based defense program — an advanced Brilliant Pebbles system that was the most important Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) concept from President Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). It entered a fully approved Concept Development and Validation (DemVal) program in 1990, anticipated to cost $20 billion (in today’s dollars), which could lead to deployment in space within five years and operate for 20 years. Current “powers that be” should follow the lead of SpaceX and others to build ASAP such advanced systems as part of President Trump’s Space Force. Read Full Story

May 14, 2019—Space Force: Moment of Truth!

by Henry F. Cooper on May 13, 2019 in Brilliant Pebbles, Henry F. Cooper, High Frontier, Space Based Defense, Space Force

We endorse the position of General John Hyten, USAF, Commander of U.S. Strategic Command, who recently testified, “We’re going to have a Space Force someday. I think what the Committee has to decide is when is that going to happen, and I think now is the time…you want to get ahead of the problem, not trail it, not come in response to a catastrophe. Get ahead of the problem.” ~ From an Open Letter from 43 former Senior Defense Officials Read Full Story

April 23, 2019—Air Force Stewardship of Space?

by Henry F. Cooper on April 22, 2019 in Brilliant Pebbles, Henry F. Cooper, High Frontier, SDI, Space Defense, Space Force

Last week on the 77th anniversary of Jimmy Doolittle’s famous raid on Tokyo, I wrote a Newsmax article that I proposed to title, “No Space Pearl Harbor, Please!” I wanted it to key off that important historical event to emphasize lessons that we should not forget today. Instead, the Newsmax editors emphasized the important Doolittle raid itself, rather than an even more important (in my opinion) historical lesson that we dare not repeat. With that thought in mind, please review that article and see what you think. Then consider my follow-up comments. Read Full Story

April 9, 2019—Revive Brilliant Pebbles ASAP!

by Henry F. Cooper on April 8, 2019 in Brilliant Pebbles, Henry F. Cooper, High Frontier, SDI, Space Defense, Space Force

Last month, many of us remembered President Reagan’s March 23, 1983 speech that launched his Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), which many remember as playing a crucial role in ending the Cold War. What is seemingly forgotten is the important role that space-based defenses played in realizing Reagan’s vision — and, even more important, their potential benefits for today. A challenge for Trump’s Space Force! Read Full Story

March 5, 2019—On Reykjavik Delusions!

by Henry F. Cooper on March 4, 2019 in Brilliant Pebbles, Henry F. Cooper, High Frontier, Kim, North Korea, Reykjavik, SDI, Space Defense, Trump

Many have compared when last week President Trump walked out of his Hanoi meeting with Kim Jong Un and when Ronald Reagan walked out of his October 1986 Reykjavik Summit with Mikhail Gorbachev, without indicating and understanding fundamental differences between the two important events. Read Full Story

February 12, 2019—Win One for the Gipper!

by Henry F. Cooper on February 11, 2019 in Brilliant Pebbles, Henry F. Cooper, High Frontier, Jon Kyl, Ronald Reagan, SDI, Space Based Interceptors, Space Defense

“I believe it can be credibly argued that among President Reagan’s greatest acts of leadership was his commitment on March 23, 1983, to the Strategic Defense Initiative — SDI. . . He put it this way on the tenth anniversary of his SDI announcement: “It is as true today as it was ten years ago that this effort holds the promise of changing the course of human history, by freeing the world from the ominous threat of ballistic missile attack. Given the choice, shouldn’t we seek to save lives rather than avenge them?” ~ Former Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) . . . And it is still true today! Read Full Story

January 29, 2019—Wake Up America!

by Henry F. Cooper on January 28, 2019 in Brilliant Pebbles, China, EMP, EMP Commission, Henry F. Cooper, High Frontier, Russia, Space Force Initiative

High-altitude EMP (HEMP) attacks would produce no blast or other immediate effects harmful to humans, but would damage life sustaining electronics so that millions could die from its long-term collateral effects that black-out our national electric grid and other life-sustaining critical infrastructures. Such attacks are regarded by enemy military planners as a relatively easy, potentially un-attributable means of inflicting mass destruction and forcing opponents to capitulate. Read Full Story

January 22, 2019—Update 1989-90 Brilliant Pebbles Studies!

by Henry F. Cooper on January 21, 2019 in Brilliant Pebbles, Henry F. Cooper, High Frontier, Missile Defense Review, SDI, Space Based Interceptors, Space Force Initiative

Brilliant Pebbles, the most important Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) concept from President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), entered a fully approved Concept Development and Validation (DemVal) program in 1990, anticipated to cost $20 billion (in today’s dollars) to begin deployment in space within five years and operate for 20 years. Current “powers that be” should make sure new studies take that definitive effort into account support President Trump’s Space Force initiative. Read Full Story