[ARC5] Light Beam Communications

[Robert Eleazer]

Back in the late 60's our Explorer Scout troop was sponsored by Southern Bell.  We set up a communications by laser demonstration at one Scout meeting.  A bit of information I recall from that even was that a single laser beam could theoretically simultaneously carry all of the communications in the world.

The USAF was experimenting with laser communications for satellites back in the 70's.  I don't know where they went with that.

A safety consideration in lasers is the distance at which you can look at it and not damage the human eye.  For one antimissile test laser program we were considering supporting at Cape Canaveral, a safety guy asked me what was the safe eye distance for that laser.  I responded that the thing could blow up a ballistic missile from 4500 nautical miles away, so what did he think the safe distance was for the eye?  I would estimate probably out around Lunar orbit.  

So y'all don't mess with those things.  You're gonna put your eye out!  

Wayne
WB5WSV        
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