> It can help. It's harder to do than you might think, across the spectra
> involved, but yes, it is a plus.
So a mirror that would reflect an infrared laser would not necessarily
reflect an indigo or UV laser?
Working from the lesson that "there is no gamma ray mirror", do beams
get exceedingly more difficult to reflect the shorter the wavelength
is?
Or do you simply need different types of mirrors for infrared, visible
light and UV?
Aaaaaaaand if the latter is the case, I have no idea about the
feasibility, but could you sort of apply different reflective layers
to a single surface in order to cover a wider range of wavelengths
(sort of like multiple coats of paint)?
All this is part of a consideration what the hull surface of a
space****p would look like in a belligerent setting. Since there is no
(non-magical) way of hiding in space anyway (not with a power output
in the GW range and up), I figured there's no point in trying to
camouflage the hull (i.e. making it pitch black), and with your
emissions announcing your presence anyway, appearing as a giant disco
ball probably won't make it worse.
The tactical consequence I see in effective anti-laser mirrors would
be that lasers become a lot less useful. You'd have to aim at
vulnerable spots like, for instance, engine nozzles, which would make
maneuvering a lot more im****tant, and also significantly reduce combat
distances (to both reduce lightspeed lag and actually be able to get
on an evading opponent's tail). No more exchanging broadsides at
300.000km.
Also, lasers would lose a lot of their value as Point Defense weapon:
coat your missiles and kinetic slugs in sparkling ****niness, and the
PD laser will just make for a beautiful prism lightshow (exaggerating
a bit here but you get the idea).
Thanks for your input.
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