Patent ID: 7669802

Claim:
A space based orbital kinetic energy weapon system, comprising: a weapon satellite having one or more thrusters and an onboard control system configured to maintain an orbit in outer space around the earth and to deorbit the weapon satellite using the one or more thrusters on a desired trajectory targeting an earth based location upon a command, wherein the command is communicated directly in real-time from an earth based location, and wherein minor adjustments are performed by the one or more thrusters controlled by control system such that the weapon satellite maintains the desired trajectory during reentry into the earth's atmosphere; and a projectile object operably connected to the weapon satellite, wherein the projectile object comprises a dense mass and a reentry heat shield operably surrounding the mass such that at least a portion of the mass survives the weapon satellite's reentry into the earth's atmosphere and strikes the earth based location delivering its kinetic energy; and the reentry heat shield is configured to protect the mass but not the weapon satellite.