Strategic Defense Initiative: Need to Examine Concurrency in Development of Brilliant Pebbles

Abstract

In the summer of 1989, the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) initiated studies to identify the best spacebased weapon concept, and in February 1990 it announced that Brilliant Pebbles was replacing the Space-Based Interceptor. The Brilliant Pebbles concept consists of several thousand interceptors orbiting the earth with the capability to detect and destroy targets by smashing into them at high speed. Each interceptor will be housed in a lifejacket that will provide, among other things, communications and the necessary on-orbit protection. SDIO has established two concurrent Brilliant Pebbles research and development programs to enable the President to make a decision not later than the summer of 1993 on deployment of strategic defenses. Both programs are part of the demonstration and validation phase, which precedes full-scale development. One program consists of a series of flight and underground tests to demonstrate that Brilliant Pebbles technology can intercept ballistic missiles and survive in wartime conditions.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1991
Accession Number
ADA238292

Entities

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Air Force
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Congress
  • Contracts
  • Cost Estimates
  • Defense Systems
  • Department Of Defense
  • Governments
  • Ground Based
  • House Of Representatives
  • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
  • Law
  • Military Acquisition
  • National Security
  • Space Based
  • Space Surveillance

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Missile Defense Systems.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Satellites