“The ballistic technology used is believed to be an extension of Iran’s long-range Shahab-3 missile, our correspondent says.
She says that military experts believe that if Iran has sent a rocket into space it means scientists have mastered the technology needed to cross the atmospheric barrier.
In practice, they say, that means there is no technological block to Iran building longer range missiles now, something that will be of great international concern.”
Source: BBC
]]>I think there are many interesting opposing views on this on the comments on many of the blog entries. Most recently Phillip Huggan’s comment on the “The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists Displays Gaps in Nanotechnology Understanding” shows this split in thinking on many questions of existential risks.
The weaponization of space is indeed a huge question, and a missile shield is a move in that direction. As I understand the planned shield in Europe will consist of 10 different missile-silos that are real-time activated by the EWS (early warning radar). Of course delayed by human intervention.
I’m inclined to dismiss the ICBM-threat in the near future. It’s really old technology for old threats.
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