Hyperkinetic Impactor Missile

HIM systems consist of a missile stage, powered by chemical engines or sometimes Magnetoconstricted Metastable Metallic Hydrogen Engines for high-yield systems, and a projectile accelerator stage, most commonly using railgun technology.     The diagram above illustrates the main components of the SHIRMP mk1 Hyperkinetic Impactor Missile.   The missile stage allows for a zero-recoil launch from space ships and guided flight towards the target. Once sufficient velocity is reached, the missile's propulsion system is cut and the accelerator stage is triggered, accelerating the impactor to extreme velocities and simultaneously stopping the forward motion of the missile body, or in some configurations even propelling it backwards.   The extreme velocity of the impactor makes it extremely hard to counteract, and various shaped impactors can be equipped to finetune damage characteristics.   After separation, the missile body can autonomously return to the ship it was launched and be reloaded, refueled and recharged for another attack. One such cycle may take several minutes however, which limits the total firing rate. On the other hand, the simplicity of the expended impactor means that costs are very low.

The first HIM system was developed by the defense division of Kawamoto-Altberg Electronics Corporation under a contract for the Exploration and Defense Fleet. The result of this development was called the Space-based Hyperkinetic Impactor Reusable Missile Platform, or SHIRMP. SHIRMP systems proved highly effective and additional systems based on the same concept where developed for different target energies.   Varius other governments and corporations, including Blackwell Security and the Vektektek have since also developed similar systems. HIM systems are often considered among the most devastating weapons in space combat, excluding nuclear and antimatter weapons.