XPost: alt.astronomy, alt.books.arthur-clarke

I got an interesting book,

The Amazon site

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BLKXV68/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and
the Military (Astrophysics for People in a Hurry Series)
by Neil de Grasse Tyson (Author), Avis Lang (Author) 2018 book

Looks like you can currently get the big heavy hardcover
delivered to your door for a total of just $5.25 !

"An exploration of the age-old complicity between skywatchers and
warfighters, from the best-selling author of Astrophysics for People in
a Hurry.

In this fascinating foray into the centuries-old relationship between
science and military power, acclaimed astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson
and writer-researcher Avis Lang examine how the methods and tools of astrophysics have been enlisted in the service of war. "The overlap is
strong, and the knowledge flows in both directions," say the authors,
because astrophysicists and military planners care about many of the
same things: multi-spectral detection, ranging, tracking, imaging, high
ground, nuclear fusion, and access to space. Tyson and Lang call it a "curiously complicit" alliance. "The universe is both the ultimate
frontier and the highest of high grounds," they write. "Shared by both
space scientists and space warriors, it’s a laboratory for one and a battlefield for the other. The explorer wants to understand it; the
soldier wants to dominate it. But without the right technology—which is
more or less the same technology for both parties—nobody can get to it, operate in it, scrutinize it, dominate it, or use it to their advantage
and someone else’s disadvantage."

Spanning early celestial navigation to satellite-enabled warfare,
Accessory to War is a richly researched and provocative examination of
the intersection of science, technology, industry, and power that will introduce Tyson’s millions of fans to yet another dimension of how the universe has shaped our lives and our world.

Reviews say
― Joshua Sokol, Washington Post
"Through ample research and nimble storytelling, Tyson and [Lang] trace
the long and tangled relationship between state power and
astronomy....Deep and eloquent."

― Jennifer Carson, New York Times Book Review
"Extraordinary....A feast of history, an expert tour through thousands
of years of war and conquest....Condenses multiple bodies of work into
one important, comprehensive and coherent story of the symbiotic
developments of astrophysics and war....The lesson is not merely a
wake-up call for astrophysicists, but for all of us, for anyone with the misapprehension that science somehow marches on separate from the rest
of culture"

Customer reviews give it a 4.7 out of 5

The Goodreads site is at https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44157732-accessory-to-war

Hmmm, their readers rate it a 3.60 ???

An interesting paragraph
"Economic constraints decide on the research priorities. And the
entire annual budget for astrophysics is enough to cover the
defense budget for a few days in most states. Given a choice,
many researchers will opt for a pact with the military. Better
to research with martial focus, than not at all. And the
technologies, machines and research priorities are identical to
some extent. From there onwards, either telescopes or missile
launchers will be installed

Here is a 6 minute video interview of Neil on the book --

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-dcola-068&ei=UTF-8&hsimp=yhs-068&hspart=dcola&param1=1&param2=cat%3Dweb%26sesid%3D9e7649d7d76d422b88b0f289e019c58a%26ip%3D71.227.211.204%26b%3DChrome%26bv%3D101.0.4951.64%26os%3DWindows-10%26os_ver%3D10.0%
26pa%3Dgencoll84%26sid%3D5774e91fcb248f3949db66e3f6cace0f%26abid%3D%26abg%3D%26a%3Dgsp_wfd468acegsyomqwpvfc_00_00_--x1-AB2222--%26sdk_ver%3D%26cd%3D%26cr%3D%26uid%3D%26uref%3D&p=Accessory+to+War+de+Grasse+Tyson&type=gsp_wfd468acegsyomqwpvfc_00_00_--x1-
AB2222--#id=1&vid=2c62e54e6d3511f410538f7cf7efae46&action=click

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XPost: alt.astronomy, alt.books.arthur-clarke

"a425couple" wrote in message news:PvDhK.1470$vAW9.1193@fx10.iad...

I got an interesting book,

The Amazon site

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BLKXV68/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and
the Military (Astrophysics for People in a Hurry Series)
by Neil de Grasse Tyson (Author), Avis Lang (Author) 2018 book

Looks like you can currently get the big heavy hardcover
delivered to your door for a total of just $5.25 !

"An exploration of the age-old complicity between skywatchers and
warfighters, from the best-selling author of Astrophysics for People in
a Hurry.

----------------

Pacifists conveniently ignore that the Soviets/Russians have been
militarizing space since the early 60's.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almaz
"In addition to reconnaissance equipment, Almaz was equipped with a unique
23mm Rikhter (factory index 261P or 225P) rapid-fire cannon mounted on the forward belly of the station."
"The Almaz series are the only known armed, crewed military spacecraft ever flown."

Suspect covert foreign influence behind denial of the threat and especially calls for unilateral disarmament. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_influence_on_the_peace_movement
Russian GRU defector Stanislav Lunev said in his autobiography that "the GRU and the KGB helped to fund just about every antiwar movement and
organization in America and abroad," and that during the Vietnam War the
USSR gave $1 billion to American anti-war movements, more than it gave to
the VietCong, although he does not identify any organisation by name. Lunev described this as a "hugely successful campaign and well worth the cost"

They successfully concealed their efforts from Western intelligence with cutouts, moles, "useful idiots", and money-laundering similar to the Mafia
and drug trade.
"After demonstrations against NATO missiles in West Germany in 1981, an official investigation turned up circumstantial evidence but no absolute
proof of KGB involvement."

AFAIK only the Mitrokhin archive and defectors revealed the operation. Their control was passive and undetected, they supplied funds for
locally-originated actions they approved but not for ones they didn't, so
the locals thought they were independent and had no clue (and still deny)
they were being manipulated.
See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astroturfing

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XPost: alt.astronomy, alt.books.arthur-clarke

On 5/20/2022 5:25 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"a425couple"  wrote in message news:PvDhK.1470$vAW9.1193@fx10.iad...

I got an interesting book,

Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and
the Military (Astrophysics for People in a Hurry Series)
by Neil de Grasse Tyson  (Author), Avis Lang  (Author) 2018 book

----------------

Pacifists conveniently ignore that the Soviets/Russians have been militarizing space since the early 60's.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almaz
"In addition to reconnaissance equipment, Almaz was equipped with a
unique 23mm Rikhter (factory index 261P or 225P) rapid-fire cannon
mounted on the forward belly of the station."
"The Almaz series are the only known armed, crewed military spacecraft
ever flown."

Interesting.
Either I never knew that, or I'd totally forgotten.
I sure would not want to be in that space capsule
when that machine gun was firing!!!!

"Defense measures
In addition to reconnaissance equipment, Almaz was equipped with a
unique 23mm Rikhter (factory index 261P or 225P) rapid-fire cannon
mounted on the forward belly of the station. This revolver cannon was
modified from the tail-gun of the Tu-22 bomber and was capable of a
theoretical rate of fire of 1800-2000 (up to 2600) rounds per minute.
Each 168 gram (ammo 23-OFZ-D-R ) or 173 gram (ammo 23-OFZ-G-R)
projectile flew at a speed of 850 m/s relative to the station. The
cannon was tested at the end of the mission by firing 20 rounds, when
the station was operating in uncrewed mode. To aim the cannon, which was
on a fixed mounting, the entire station would be turned to face the
target.[7] The Almaz series are the only known armed, crewed military spacecraft ever flown.

Salyut 3/OPS-2 conducted a successful remote test firing with the
station uncrewed due to concerns over excessive vibration and noise.

OPS-4 was to have featured two rockets instead of the aircraft cannon,
but this system has not been shown publicly and may have never been
fully manufactured despite it being used experimentally."

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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XPost: alt.astronomy, alt.books.arthur-clarke

On 5/20/2022 7:39 AM, a425couple wrote:

On 5/20/2022 5:25 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:

"a425couple"  wrote in message news:PvDhK.1470$vAW9.1193@fx10.iad...

I got an interesting book,

Accessory to War: The Unspoken Alliance Between Astrophysics and
the Military (Astrophysics for People in a Hurry Series)
by Neil de Grasse Tyson  (Author), Avis Lang  (Author) 2018 book

----------------

Pacifists conveniently ignore that the Soviets/Russians have been
militarizing space since the early 60's.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almaz
"In addition to reconnaissance equipment, Almaz was equipped with a
unique 23mm Rikhter (factory index 261P or 225P) rapid-fire cannon
mounted on the forward belly of the station."
"The Almaz series are the only known armed, crewed military spacecraft
ever flown."

Interesting.
Either I never knew that, or I'd totally forgotten.
I sure would not want to be in that space capsule
when that machine gun was firing!!!!

"Defense measures
In addition to reconnaissance equipment, Almaz was equipped with a
unique 23mm Rikhter (factory index 261P or 225P) rapid-fire cannon
mounted on the forward belly of the station. This revolver cannon was modified from the tail-gun of the Tu-22 bomber and was capable of a theoretical rate of fire of 1800-2000 (up to 2600) rounds per minute.
Each 168 gram (ammo 23-OFZ-D-R ) or 173 gram (ammo 23-OFZ-G-R)
projectile flew at a speed of 850 m/s relative to the station. The
cannon was tested at the end of the mission by firing 20 rounds, when
the station was operating in uncrewed mode. To aim the cannon, which was
on a fixed mounting, the entire station would be turned to face the target.[7] The Almaz series are the only known armed, crewed military spacecraft ever flown.

Salyut 3/OPS-2 conducted a successful remote test firing with the
station uncrewed due to concerns over excessive vibration and noise.

OPS-4 was to have featured two rockets instead of the aircraft cannon,
but this system has not been shown publicly and may have never been
fully manufactured despite it being used experimentally."

WOW!!

from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rikhter_R-23

"Secrecy
The 23R-23 cannon and its unique telescoped ammunition remained a
military secret for a long time. This can be partially explained by the
fact that the R-23 cannon was used in outer space, arming Salyut 3. The
R-23 cannon was known only in the Soviet Union until the Tu-22 bomber
was exported to Iraq and Libya during the 1970s. Various customers in
the Middle East were the first outside the Soviet Union to learn about
the R-23.

The Israeli army had discovered the 23mm ammunition without knowing what
kind of weapon it was for. During the Israeli occupation of South
Lebanon from June 1982 to June 1985, the Israeli army captured a crate
of R-23 ammunition. This crate was delivered by mistake within a
shipment of Soviet 23mm cartridges for the ZSU-23-4. This anti-aircraft ammunition was originally shipped to Syria and ended up in Lebanon,
where it was found by the Israeli army.

The first examination of the gun by Western forces took place in 1987
when French bomb disposal personnel were called in to clear the wreckage
of a Libyan Tu-22B shot down over Chad by a French MIM-23 Hawk battery."

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