NASA Engineers Write Defense-Against-Aliens Book

[Bob Schroeck]

Article at The Reg.

-- Bob
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The Internet Is For Norns.

[M Fnord]

Hey! I have this!
All in all, the Reg's conclusions are pretty on the mark. The book is written as a textbook, and despite being all about alien invasions it can be pretty dry going. If you like technical writing for the sake of technical writing or need research material for a hyper-realistic alien invasion, Introduction to Planetary Defense is a good source. Otherwise, you're better off reading an actual novel.---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

[robkelk]

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If you like technical writing for the sake of technical writing or need research material for a hyper-realistic alien invasion, Introduction to Planetary Defense is a good source.

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Since you have a copy, would it be useful for background ideas in something like Fenspace? (Do they assume the attackers are aliens, or is it a textbook to defend against humans, too?)

-Rob Kelk
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[M Fnord]

Introduction to Planetary Defense bases most of its strategic and tactical assumptions on asymmetric warfare - that the invaders would have a significant technological advantage (starfighters, mecha, phasers, etc.) and that the defenders have modern military technology with all the inherent limitations thereof (mostly logistical). For the most part, the book veers in the direction of "we need a government agency to prepare for hostile ETs" with a fair bit of technofetishism. Interestingly enough, the authors skirt the issue of insurgency, which is where you'd think an invasion would end up after the first attack.
Relevance to Fenspace? I don't know. With a little tweaking you could probably use it to model a intra-human conflict, maybe. I'd have to go back and reread the silly thing.---
Mr. Fnord
http://fnord.sandwich.net/
http://www.jihad.net/
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"