DEFENCE experts this week reacted with scepticism to the latest brainwave
from the Pentagon. The Bush administration wants to revive a defunct NASA
spaceplane and use it to drop bunker-busting bombs from space.
Defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld is studying the idea of a “sub-orbital
space vehicle” that can fly halfway around the world in 30 minutes—and
bomb targets from an untouchable altitude of 60 miles. The aim would be to
strike hard and fast at the first hint of conflict. Currently, the US Air
Force’s B2 stealth bomber takes many hours to reach its global targets.
NASA’s aborted X-33…
