Scientists want to use a solar weapon to destroy meteorites

Is this idea the start of construction of a device like the Death Star from Star Wars? The meteorite fell in Russia a few days ago and the close passage of an asteroid 16 hours later have produced some panic among the population, and many fear a giant space rock end to our world in a few years. To avoid such a horrible death, two California scientists have to work and have begun to develop a weapon capable of destroying meteorites.

His invention is called Solar Energy Directed Targeting of Asteroids and Exploration, or DE-STAR for short. It is a system that uses orbiting solar power to fire a powerful laser beam capable of deflecting the great meteor off course to avoid collision with the Earth.

The two scientists have been working on the idea into reality for more than one year, but to carry it out need to use existing technology (solar energy collection) and one that has not yet been developed, but are expected to be in a couple of years (a powerful laser destructor).

Different sizes have been considered for the DE-STAR, from one measuring approximately 2 meters to another that was about 10km in diameter. One thing is clear: the bigger, the more powerful the laser shoot.

Will this be too much science fiction or a reality in a few years?

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