When Ronald Reagan introduced the "Strategic Defense Initiative" (SDI) - popularly known as "Star Wars" - in 1983, he challenged the long accepted nuclear doctrine of "mutual assured destruction." He argued that the development of this costly and complex missile defence system was the only viable and real alternative to the on-going proliferation of nuclear weapons. "SDI" soon became a programme shrouded in controversy. Costs soared and researchers struggled to develop the essential technologies, and the end of the Soviet Union seemed to render "SDI" redundant. Despite those factors, it has survived, as U.S. policy makers struggle to counter the potential threat posed by "rogue states" developing atomic weapons. "Strategic Defense in the Nuclear Age" presents a concise, politically impartial, overview of the history of "SDI", chronicling its successes and failures through the ongoing evolution of the programme. This work chronicles the history of "SDI" from the its initial introduction during the Reagan years, to the ongoing struggles associated with research and development that plague the programme to this day. Each chapter provides analysis of the strategic, scientific, and diplomatic challenges that policy makers and scientists struggle to overcome while exploring the changing strategic needs and specific purposes for the programme. Combined with a glossary that provides and explanation of key scientific terms and an appendix by noted physicist Richard L. Garwin, this book will appeal to scholars and students, as well as the general public. It is a part of the "Contemporary Military, Strategic, and Security Issues" series. This is the most up-to-date account of "SDI" available today.