Nov 26 1967
From The Space Library
U.S.S.R.'s long-held superiority in large boosters had given it an advantage over US. in nuclear warhead protection, according to Pentagon sources. The advantage would become significant both offensively and defensively because of present developments in ABM defenses-developments designed to destroy incoming warheads in outer space with intensive x-ray emissions. Soviet scientists could easily add more shielding to their warheads to halt x-ray bombardments from U.S. antimissile missiles, article noted, but US. was handicapped by weight limitations of its lower-thrust boosters. "Some officials," article said, "are concerned that the hardness of Russian warheads will lessen seriously the protective capability of the Pentagon's planned [ABM systems] . . . [and] that US. offensive missiles now need more protection . . . to survive Russian anti-missile explosions and reach their targets." US answer might lie in new lightweight composite materials under development; made by winding and inorganically bonding filaments of such materials as carbon, silica, and graphite, they would strengthen heat shield at little penalty in weight. (B Sun, 11/27/67, A1)
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