What are rods of God?

In addition, projectiles would not require explosive warheads, and—in the simplest designs—would consist entirely of solid metal rods, giving rise to the common nickname "rods from God".

Would rods from God work?

Traveling at hypersonic speeds of Mach 5 or greater, these so-called “Rods from God” would be so completely devastating, they could totally forgo any explosive payload—be it conventional, or nuclear. Among the reasons the science fiction-esque idea literally never made it off the ground was thanks to cost.

How much did the rods from God cost?

Each rod expected to cost over $230 million - several times the price of conventional and nuclear bunker buster.

Does the US have secret weapons?

The U.S. military already has several rudimentary anti-space weapons. The U.S. Navy, for instance, has the SM-3, a missile originally designed to shoot down incoming ballistic missile warheads. Ballistic missile warheads briefly travel the same general route as satellites in low-Earth orbit.

What are the rods from God spacex?

Rods from God (RfG) are tungsten rods, perhaps 20 feet long and 1 foot in diameter, that supposedly would be “dropped” from launch stations in low Earth orbit (LEO) onto your typical bad guy. There is no explosive; the rods destroy the target purely with kinetic energy and the resulting heat and blast.

The Rods from God: A Brief History of Kinetic Orbital Bombardment

How fast would the rods from God go?

The rods would be sent into space and fired from satellites at bunkers on the ground, which they would hit at speeds of more than 10,000 feet per second, penetrating deep into the earth without any explosives.

Is kinetic bombardment real?

A kinetic bombardment or a kinetic orbital strike is the hypothetical act of attacking a planetary surface with an inert kinetic projectile from orbit (orbital bombardment), where the destructive power comes from the kinetic energy of the projectile impacting at very high speeds.

Where are U.S. nukes hidden?

The current ICBM force consists of Minuteman III missiles located at the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming; the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana; and the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.

Can the U.S. shoot down nuclear missiles?

The United States deploys two systems that can shoot down incoming missiles in the midcourse phase of flight: The Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system and. The Aegis defense system.

How powerful is Rod of God?

Measuring 20 feet long and 1 foot in diameter, the “rod from God” weapon could achieve the force of impact from a nuclear strike but with none of the radioactive fallout. The idea originated from “Lazy Dog” projectiles — effectively metallic bullet-shaped lumps dropped from high altitudes.

Who invented rods from God?

The idea was dreamed up back in the 1950s by science fiction writer and space weapons expert Jerry Pournelle, according to The New York Times.

When was the rods from God invented?

The idea for space-based kinetic kill weapons such as the so called "Rods from God" originated with the RAND corporation in the 1950's. The Boeing Company investigated the possibility, which it called Project Thor. The idea was deemed cost-prohibitive, even by Cold War standards.

Does the US have a space weapon?

Space-to-Earth weapons

As of December 2022, there are no known operative orbital weapons systems, but several nations have deployed orbital surveillance networks to observe other nations or armed forces. Several orbital weaponry systems were designed by the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

What is the finger of God military weapon?

Superpower: Its ability to fire that many rockets in less than 40 seconds, completely blanketing one square kilometer, has earned the M270 the nickname “the finger of god.”

What does the Bible say about the rod?

"Spare the rod, spoil the child" is a popular saying. It comes from the Bible, where the verse reads, "He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him" (Proverbs 13:24). In biblical times, the rod was often used by shepherds to herd sheep.

What state has the most nukes in US?

(Washington is the state with most nuclear weapons if counting only stockpiled weapons).

Where would a nuclear bomb hit in the US from Russia?

A Russian nuclear attack would likely focus on high-value targets in North Dakota or Montana.

Which is the No 1 weapon in the world?

Of course, nuclear weapons surpass all other weapons made to date, because they have enormous destructive power and can cut down an entire city and a large part of the population, and radiation after a nuclear attack would be present for decades.

Who has the deadliest military?

However, for now, the US remains the most powerful military in the world. The Russian war and China's increasingly aggressive posture in the Pacific is increasing its anxiety and thus forcing it to boost its defense budget, thereby helping major defense companies.

What is the Odin space weapon?

The ODIN (Orbital Defense Initiative) Space Station is an orbital kinetic bombardment weapons platform developed by the United States that appears in Call of Duty: Ghosts. It also makes a brief appearance in Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.

Are neutron weapons real?

Neutron bombs, or more precisely, enhanced [neutron] radiation weapons were also to find use as strategic anti-ballistic missile weapons, and in this role they are believed to remain in active service within Russia's Gazelle missile.

How much does the rod from god weigh?

A telephone pole sized cylindrical rod (1 foot diameter 20 feet long) of solid tungsten weighs 12.9 metric tons.