Part 8/12:
Defense systems in this futuristic scenario would dominate dialogues surrounding interplanetary security. Considering that incoming projectiles could possess speeds nearing relativistic levels, defending against attacks would require sophisticated interception strategies. Technologies like lasers and particle beams lose effectiveness over vast distances and become susceptible to losses due to diffraction and atmospheric interactions. Meanwhile, deploying multiple small projectiles, akin to defensive network systems, could create a barrier to incoming fire, albeit at incredibly high energy costs.