Another option would be to cover the booster with an ablative coating that would dissipate the laser energy. According to one estimate, adding a gram of heat-shield material (similar to that used on reentry vehicles) to each square centimeter of booster skin would triple the dwell time needed to effect a kill, with the extra weight of the coating having only a relatively modest impact on the missile's payload. A better option might be to coat the booster with a much lighter ablative coating such as cork. An SBL having the same specifications as those included in the RAND study's base case, firing at a booster rising above the atmosphere 3,000 km away (which would be a typical range for a 24-SBL constellation), would require about one minute to burn through a 3 centimeter-thick coating of cork—imposing on the SBL at least a several-fold increase in necessary laser dwell time.

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Kosiak, Steven M. Arming the Heavens: A Preliminary Assessment of the Potential Cost and Cost Effectiveness of Space-Based Weapons. Washington, D.C.: Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, October 31, 2007. [ 19 quotes ] [ page 25 ]