Which one of the following statements best reflects the idea behind the "Fractional Orbital Bombardment…

Which one of the following statements best reflects the idea behind the "Fractional Orbital Bombardment System" often talked about in media?
  1. A hypersonic missile is launched into space to counter the asteroid approaching the Earth and explode it in space.
  2. A spacecraft lands on another planet after making several orbital motions.
  3. A missile is put into a stable orbit around the Earth and deorbits over a target on the Earth.
  4. A spacecraft moves along a comet with the same speed and places a probe on its surface.

Solution

FOBS is a Cold War-era concept where a nuclear warhead is placed in low Earth orbit (a fractional orbit) and de-orbited to strike a target, evading early warning systems.

Asked in: UPSC Prelims 2022

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