Matt BoydPutting data centers in space doesn't really make sense unless you think it puts them beyond the reach of the law.
mcc@3psboyd I believe someday we will find out exactly how easy it is to intentionally destroy a satellite, and find out several governments have possessed the ability to do this for possibly decades, and the first time someone demonstrates the ability we will all pretend to be very surprised.
@mcc Astronaut sidling up to the satellite casually and doing a double-tap with a silenced revolver
@mcc There's no sound in space but he thinks the silencer is important for the aesthetics of the deed.
@3psboyd *thinks* silencers don't actually silence the sound of the bullet, what they do is the silence the sound of escaping gases by diverting them in a way that slows them down and gives them additional exit points. for this reason, when firing a gun in space, a silencer is actually probably desirable, not because it silences sound but because it could potentially damp recoil by preventing the escaping gases from imparting momentum on you (by releasing gas 360 degrees it cancels itself out)
Christopher Neugebauer
Bee O'Problem 
Oblomov@mcc hm that depends on how homogeneous the dispersion is, I guess.
I don't think it would affect recoil much, since most of that I expect would come from the bullet itself rather than the exhaust gasses.
On the other hand, the gas disperions being not perfectly homogeneous owuld also induce vibrations in the silencer, I would expect.
Erin
Kevin Granade@3psboyd @mcc what you're looking for here is either a "muzzle break" which reduces felt recoil by redirecting some gasses back towards the shooter, a "recoilless rifle" which fires rounds that simultaneously launch a bullet and vent gasses out the back of the gun to completely cancel out recoil, or even a "gyro-jet" which is an obscure gun that launches a tiny rocket instead of a regular bullet.
@3psboyd @mcc there are combined silencers/muzzle brakes, though in practice they trend to work at cross purposes.
There are also all manner of odd mechanical contrivances to absorb, delay, or redirect felt recoil.
For example there are a number of larger guns that have a built in reciprocating elements that spread out the impulse of firing over up to a half second or so.
There are also all manner of odd mechanical contrivances to absorb, delay, or redirect felt recoil.
For example there are a number of larger guns that have a built in reciprocating elements that spread out the impulse of firing over up to a half second or so.
Rhialto@kevingranade
You could make a gun that shoots in opposite directions at once to cancel the recoil. Twice as effective!
@3psboyd @mcc
You could make a gun that shoots in opposite directions at once to cancel the recoil. Twice as effective!
@3psboyd @mcc
ꜰʟᴏʀᴀ 
Dopes The Frogman
Luke (Shiv)
Ted Mielczarek@mcc @3psboyd if you'd like to do the background reading in advance: https://spp.fas.org/military/program/asat/index.html
c-x-b 
estelle@mcc @3psboyd the keyword for military sources on this is "proximity operations" and usually they're just eavesdropping or playing other such games of aggression
scott manley is scott manley, but he also made a video about the orbital mechanics of it, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcJMT1rW8Lg
How Real Satellites Dogfight - Proximity Operations In Space Explained
Marsh Ray
PsySal
Fi 🏳️⚧️
Tess, Joint Chief of Stiff
Charlotte@diffractie @mcc @3psboyd ASM-135 ASAT go brrrrr
(I spent too much time on /r/NonCredibleDefense)
Emily_S
d@nny disc@ mc²@emily_s @mcc @3psboyd you need to be contraption maxxing. you need to be developing functionality that will never be replicated and is indistinguishable from a fever dream. you need to develop a theory of mind that's often correct despite its basis on invalid premises and remains in a constant unstable equilibrium like a dormant volcano. you need to be dr. eggman. dr. eggman is my future. i can must and will become dr. eggman
JP