The SOL satellite

The Satellite Orbital Laser canon or SOL, is a fictional orbital weapon depicted in the popular anime film Akira. It is under the control of the Japanese military. When it fires, the laser beam starts out very wide and narrows down as it focuses on its target. Because of the massive power of the beam there is often a resultant explosion originating at the point of terran contact. Orbital weaponry is any weapon that is in orbit around a large body such as a planet or moon. ... Akira (Japanese: アキラ) is a cyberpunk manga and 1988 anime movie by Katsuhiro Otomo. ... The range of sizes in which lasers exist is immense, extending from microscopic diode lasers (top) to football field sized neodymium glass lasers (bottom) used for inertial confinement fusion. ...

The SOL station is used by Colonel Shikishima to fire upon Tetsuo Shima in order to stop his rampage through the city. Surprisingly Tetsuo only loses his arm due to exposure from the beam. The Colonel orders a second firing of the laser, Tetsuo anticipates this and he actually flies into outer space and destroys the SOL station by hand. Tetsuo Shima Spoiler warning: Tetsuo Shima is one of the main characters of the 1988 anime Akira, and could be seen as one of the villains as well. ...