Donald Trump has just signed a decree on Monday on Monday the implementation of an anti -missile defense system to protect his country. He is certainly The most ambitious defense project in American history Since the program ” Star War Announced by President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983.
The American president spoke of a ” Iron dome for America », In reference to the system in place in Israel since 2010. However, the scope of this project exceeds largely that of his Middle East counterpart.
A high-tech space arsenal with astronomical costs
Defense secretary Pete Hegseth thus has 60 days to develop a plan intended to protect the United States against Ballistic, hypersonic and advanced cruise missiles. These three types of missiles represent an important threat to international security because of their ability to reach targets in very long range with great precision and their destructive power completely insane. The most convincing example is undoubtedly the Russian Missile RS-28 Sarmat, also known as “Satan 2” in the Western media.
At the heart of the device: A network of satellites equipped with lasers, coupled with interceptors in low altitude. The project also provides neutralization capacities even before the launch of enemy missiles.
The financial magnitude of the project exceeds understanding, hold on. In 2012, the National Academy of Sciences had quantified in a report that a defensive space program known as minimalist (650 satellites in orbit) would require an envelope of $ 300 billion.
Who could help the US government to set up such a program? SpaceX, of course. Elon Musk’s company has masters: its Falcon launchers display a higher payload capacity and increased transport volume, at a launch cost significantly lower than the competition.
With the launch cadence that we know, SpaceX could be a major support to deploy these satellites. The company, which already has $ 20 billion in government contracts, should nevertheless arbitrate between this program and its Starlink project, its main source of income. This constellation of commercial satellites could see its growth slowed down by the mobilization of launch resources for this new genius anti -missile shield.
Nothing has yet been played
Even if the project is properly funded, the technological challenges appear titanic. Tom Karako, an expert in missiles at the Think Tank CSIS, recalls that none ” Magic security coverage »Not. The phenomenon of ” thermal blooming “, Which decreases the effectiveness of lasers in the earth’s atmosphere, represents a major obstacle. By heating the air by crossing it, the lasers create a “ lens »Variable air density that deforms and disperses the beam, and make them less precise and efficient.
Satellite feeding is also problematic : To ensure their proper functioning, they would require nuclear mini-reactors or ultra-perforated solar panels.
Apart from these purely technical considerations, the analysts point the finger at geostrategic risks of the implementation of such a system. According to Eric Heginbotham, MIT expert on Chinese nuclear issues, this program could trigger a new arms race. Russia and China could multiply the production of their nuclear warheads or target less protected areas to maintain their deterrent.
This is why other experts recommend A more realistic approach to the question. Fabian Hoffmann, of the Oslo Nuclear Project, suggests strengthening the low -altitude anti -missile defenses while preserving the balance of current nuclear forces. An option certainly always expensive, but technically feasible and potentially less destabilizing for the world order.
- Trump is launching an anti -missile shield project based on satellites equipped with lasers, inspired by the Israeli model, but on a much larger scale.
- The astronomical cost and technological challenges, including the precision of lasers and the food of satellites, make the project difficult to achieve.
- he program could relaunch a arms race with Russia and China and threaten the global geopolitical balance.
