Drake_263 wrote:

Actually, the PEP - Pulsed Energy Projectile, the real-world experimental weapon system currently in development the laser pulser appears to be based on - doesn't generate plasma inside the weapon. instead, the miniscule amounts of matter vaporized off the target form a plasma detonated with a second pulse. Thus, I personally think the LP SHOULD work in vacuum as well. Here's the Wiki article on it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulsed_Energy_Projectile incidentally, am I the only one who find the fact that the original (lethal) design - Pulsed Impulsive Kill Laser - is basically called 'pickle'?

Interesting. I was under the impression that it generated plasma in the air around the target, not from the target themselves. I suppose this would work in vacuum if that were the case, but it might be less effective; vacuum would immediately cause the plasma to spread out at a quicker rate than in normal atmosphere, thus softening the force of the ignited plasma (but potentially increasing its effective shockwave range). As for the last part, I think it noted that I feel that all weapons should have adorable names. I have been telling people for years that the next-generation satellite missile system should be called the Controlled Detonation Laser-guided Missile First-strike Network (or "Cuddle Muffin" for short).