The US Navy now has a new weapon in their arsenal: MIRACL, a directed-energy laser. Although it is not as powerful as some of the other weapons the military has, its effects are formidable. It has destroyed drones, missiles, and even speeding spacecraft. It also raised the issue of space control. The Pentagon is now evaluating the feasibility of a MIRACL testing, and the resulting controversy has been a rallying point to opponents of US space weaponsry.
MIRACL stands to mean Mid-Infrared Advanced Chemical Laser. This is the largest and most powerful chemical laser on the planet. It's a continuous-wave, laser that emits vibrationally excited deuteriumfluoride molecules which are then injected into a target. In terms of power, the MIRACL is a megawatt class laser, and it is designed to destroy airborne and land-based targets. It would take a lot of technological innovation to make a high-power laser capable in destroying enemy satellites. To avoid a possible space arms race however, the Pentagon altered the name and scope for the MIRACL testing.
The MIRACL's technology utilizes a laser beam to pulverize an object. This technique has been tested previously. This may be the first time the laser has been used to do a kinetic damage assessment. The weapon uses a beam-shaping optics to produce a 14-cm square beam that is then propagated through the rest of the beam train.
It is not secret that the Pentagon has been working on a laser capable, of destroying enemy satellites. Despite this, it is unclear whether the Department of Defense will ever actually fire a MIRACL at an enemy satellite. Although the Department of Defense did not explicitly state it, ex-service personnel have stated that the laser's abilities far outweigh any practical concerns. The technology can be used to destroy missiles and bombs, as well as other defense systems.
Although the Navy, Army and Marine Corps aren't ready to fire lasers at enemy satellites, the potential exists. According to some sources, the Pentagon might test a laser on the Miniature Sensor Technology Integration (3 MSTI3) 3 satellite in order to determine the effect it would have on a satellite. Others suggest that the Pentagon might send the laser on an emergency mission. It will be a test to the Pentagon’s ability launch and launch control technology.
According to Congressional Research Service, the Mid-Infrared Chemical Laser could be used for at least three more purposes. One would be to destroy enemy satellites, one to use a laser to damage a computerized system, and the third to use a laser to kill a human being. Another option is to detonate an enemy rocket. This option was already being considered.
What is a miracle anyway? There is no single scientific answer. While the concept of the miracle has been around for centuries, its origins have been debated and some have argued that it may not be the most important phenomenon of all. The statistically impossible has been suggested to be the most spectacular event.