Xref: utzoo sci.space:4407 sci.crypt:781
Path: utzoo!linus!husc6!cca!bobcoe
From: bobcoe@cca.CCA.COM (Robert K. Coe)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.crypt
Subject: Re: satellites
Message-ID: <23760@cca.CCA.COM>
Date: 28 Jan 88 13:28:54 GMT
References: <873@uop.edu> <2166@umd5.umd.edu> <4910@well.UUCP> <1952@netsys.UUCP> <990@devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV> <1708@faline.bellcore.com> <2534@cup.portal.com>
Reply-To: bobcoe@CCA.CCA.COM (Robert K. Coe)
Organization: Computer Corp. of America, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 13

In article <2534@cup.portal.com> truett@cup.portal.com writes:
*First you drop a small corner reflector somewhere in the Lebanese highlands.
*Then you put an array of mirrors and CCD detectors into orbit together with a
*small laser.  Now, use the reflected signal of the laser from the corner
*reflector to get the optical sensors all phase to withing a fraction of a
*wavelength of light (or infrared, that's even easier).  The resulting system
*has an effective appature much bigger than a sigle mirror.  I suspect that
*arrays with an apparent aperture of 20-30 meters can be orbited easily.

I recall that at the time the 200-in. Hale (Palomar Mtn.) telescope was built,
it was reported that if it were not for the curvature of the earth and 3000
miles of atmosphere, the telescope has the resolving power to read the date on
a dime in New York.