10 Most-Terrifying Space Weapons

2. "Star Wars" (Strategic Defense Initiative)

Star Wars Strategic Defense Initiative
Wikipedia/ServiceDepicted, Air Force

On March 23, 1983, US President Ronald Reagan proposed that his nation should construct a ground-based and space-based system in order to protect America from ballistic weapons - and his idea was to build the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).

Nicknamed "Star Wars" after the film series by its detractors due to the fact the proposal sounded like something out of science-fiction literature, SDI was to create a defensive shield around the USA in space using laser technology as well as a ground-based system that could track incoming ballistic missiles.

Another concept of the system was to create "Brilliant Pebbles", which were Kinetic Kill Vehicles (small rockets) that could be launched from satellites towards an incoming missile - or indeed any other target - in order to destroy it before it reached its destination.

The majority of SDI did not come to fruition, and it may have been primarily a defensive rather than offensive weapon, but Star Wars really could have changed the face of space warfare forever.

 
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NUFC editor for WhatCulture.com/NUFC. History graduate (University of Edinburgh) and NCTJ-trained journalist. I love sports, hopelessly following Newcastle United and Newcastle Falcons. My pastimes include watching and attending sports matches religiously, reading spy books and sampling ales.