Real Genius and DARPA

The Ray Gun Administration inherited the Deuterium-Fluoride chemical-fuelled MIRACL. Continuing to quote ToughSF: 2.2 MW output, with over 1 MW for 70 seconds in its longest test.

We eighties-kiddies all reasonably assumed that laser-power would follow the same Moore's Law as computer-power was following. The Val Kilmer (-supported) movie Real Genius assumes a laser as can output many more kilowatts than 2200. REWATCH 8/20: 6 MW

Kilmer's wadevawatt had drawbacks, which Laszlo Holyfeld spells out. The thing runs for, let's say, half a second; and can't be used more than once. Plus side, as such it doesn't have to get to orbit; high-alt aerofoil will get the job done. Still: it'll cost billions of 1985 Reaganbux. Which means: it's a weapon. As a hot blast it doesn't leave chemical signatures, as might be left by a rod of tungsten. The opening scene has it sold to some nebulous agency as fit to assassinate some Latino cartel boss (read: Ortega) from SPACE.

Well: okay, we've gotten better at getting heavy stuff into space for cheap since then. But. With that same hindsight, ToughSF reports that MIRACL is as good as it's gotten in the last four decades. Real Genius: Remastered requires several MIRACLs aiming the same 4 MW at the same spot at the same time. At this point we're better off with that tungsten rod.

And anyone seeking to (say) ignite a fusion-reaction or do long-distance communications should adjust assumptions accordingly.

UPDATE 8/17: ToughSF postpends this (pdf) from 2018.