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Strategic Defense Initiative facts for kids

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The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was a plan created by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983 to use ground and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by nuclear ballistic missiles. The initiative focused on defense instead on the offensive mutual assured destruction (MAD).

Images for kids

  • ERINT

    Extended Range Interceptor (ERINT) launch from White Sands Missile Range

  • ABM test vehicle (Homing Overlay Experiment)

    4 m (13 ft) diameter web deployed by Homing Overlay Experiment

  • Space Laser Satellite Defense System Concept

    The 1984 SDI concept of a space based Nuclear reactor pumped laser or a chemical hydrogen fluoride laser satellite, Resulted in this 1984 artist's concept of a laser-equipped satellite firing on another, causing a momentum change in the target object by laser ablation. Before having to cool and re-aim at further possible targets.

  • Excalibur firing

    This early artwork of the Nuclear detonation pumped laser array depicts an Excalibur engaging three targets, simultaneously. In most descriptions, each Excalibur could fire at dozens of targets, which would be hundreds or thousands of kilometers away.

  • Slbd front

    SeaLite Beam Director, commonly used as the output for the MIRACL

  • SDIO LACE Spacecraft

    Technicians at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) work on the Low-powered Atmosphere Compensation Experiment (LACE) satellite.

  • Brilliant pebbles

    Brilliant Pebbles concept artwork

  • SDIO Delta Star

    Delta 183 launch vehicle lifts off, carrying the SDI sensor experiment "Delta Star", March 24, 1989

  • Ground-Space based hybrid laser weapon concept art

    An artist's concept of a ground / space-based hybrid laser weapon, 1984

  • President Ronald Reagan meeting with Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev at Maison de Saussure during the Geneva Summit

    SDI was high on Mikhail Gorbachev's agenda at the Geneva Summit.

  • Ground-based-laser-DIA

    DIA drawing of the Soviet Terra-3 laser in the USSR

  • Keinen Krieg der Sterne

    SDI drew criticism from abroad as well. This 1986 Socialist German Workers Youth graffiti in Kassel, West Germany says "Keinen Krieg der Sterne! Stoppt SDI! SDAJ" or (No star wars! Stop SDI! SDAJ).

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