Title : A review of selected nanotechnology topics and their potential military applications
Abstract:
Nanotechnology is being considered for a range of military applications to include sensors, surveillance, detection, and communications. We expect that nanotechnology development for military applications will culminate in the creation of a new class of weaponry – nano-enhanced weapons. The aerospace & defense industries include Conventional and non-conventional weaponry research, satellite, rocket, drone and guided missile development, and non-lethal systems such as communications and battlefield medical devices. It has been envisioned that in the future, weapons could be produced which can fire small missiles, sensors, and machines that can find water in any environment. These weapons could all be linked via a mobile command-and-control interface. Autonomous nanomachines are also envisioned which could be injected into a target, much the same as current medical nanomachinery in development, albeit with a military application.
Space exploration faces several challenges: stringent fuel constraints for sending payloads into orbit, the longevity of missions further out than Earth orbit, and the need for new materials that can cope with the hostile environment of space. Nanomaterials and components can help reduce payload weight, size, and power consumption, constructing materials that protect against radiation and the cold of space. A current project in development for exploration beyond our solar system is Breakthrough Starshot, which aims to send probes utilizing nanotechnological advances into deep space.
Nano-satellites: Nanotechnology would provide umpteen numbers of possibilities in the outer space. For starters, use of nanotechnology for markedly smaller satellites together with smaller launch vehicles. Thus, making these satellites cost-effective. Moreover, these nano-satellies could be used in swarms for radar, communication and intelligence. These satellites could also facilitate dedicated high resolution images of enemy territory.
