NEAR miss with hobby rocket

[simonpro]

The point is that the same principles apply to making a model rocket as apply to making a much larger, and hence much more destructive, rocket.
And guidance systems aren't that hard. Give me a few accelerometers plus a bunch of PIC chips and i'll have one that can hit any target within the vehicle's flight envelope. And if I can do it then the terrorists sure as hell can, they have a lot of smart guys on their team.


The point of most terrorist attacks isn't actually to cause death, it's to give the illusion that no-one is safe, forcing whoever they're attacking into making some kind of concession to protect their citizens. A few little rockets won't kill many people, but they will certainly cause some panic.

 

[Andy44]

Those were guided attacks. But making "real" guiding system for rocket is hi-tech. Modern airliners are hi-tech as well. You can't mass produce them - you either buy them or steal them. (I guess those airliners were not produced by some fanatical aeromodeller in his garage)

And sure rocket modelling is not the safest activity (unlike, say, playing orbiter ). But that fear of terrorists using model rockets.. Damn, one can kill a man with spoon, so what - ban spoons?
I don't see any advantage in using model rockets for terror purpose. How is it going to be used - a bucnh of fantical rocket modellers will attacj from suburbs and get away? Or may be Mexican insurgents will start bombing border-villages with handmade rockets? This just does not work, and if i wan't to kill a bunch of civilains while being few kilometers away, I'd rather plant a bomb well and leave the place for good.

Building a guided rocket is not all that difficult. I personally knew at least two people in college who could build an entire 2-stage model rocket with guidance system like they were riding a bicycle. The only reason they didn't build a guidance system was because they didn't have the proper license nor was it required for the project they were doing. And they could do it with spare parts from hardware stores and Radio Shack, which is why it is stupid to try to restrict people from being creative; those with a will would always find a way.

As for your discussion of tactics, remember that there are many reasons for attacking something. A car bomb may be more destructive, but driving car bombs into downtown areas is harder than just shooting rockets from afar, and rockets can be a persistent harrasment, raising the stress levels of one's adversary, and forcing him to do rash things, which is what terrorism is good at.

If guided rockets and aerial attacks were so useless, why do military aircraft and missiles exist?

 

[Pilot7893]

It's a weather balloon. Nothing else.

 

[Ghostrider]

Damn, one can kill a man with spoon, so what - ban spoons?

Don't give them any ideas. The WWMMS (Waah Waah Make Me Safe) crowd is lobbying to ban pointed knives and some kind of kitchen knives as well (if you're not a "registered" chef you do not need them). Next stop, archery and martial arts.

 

[Urwumpe]

Don't forget banning sugar and fat meals. They can kill you directly.

Oh and many murders happen because of misunderstood love. You should ban love.

 

[Ghostrider]

Oh and many murders happen because of misunderstood love. You should ban love.

Insofar as the WWMMS crowd is concerned, they may have succeeded. They're too busy trying to forbid any funny activity to actually have time enough for love.

 

[Urwumpe]

Maybe they will also ban cow tipping soon. But I hope those "Safe in the city" losers don't know what cow tipping is.