[HCARC] Interesting Use of Satellites

[Kerry Sandstrom]

Gary,

The US has been messing with the ionosphere for many many years. Some of 
the past "experiments" included ARGUS, which involved the Navy.  A Navy 
task force sailed out into the South Atlantic 1100 km SW of Capetown, 
South Africa and launched 3 missiles with nuclear devices on them.  They 
were launched from the USS Norton Sound. They were detonated high in the 
ionosphere, between 100 and 500 miles altitude.  Lawrence radiation Lab 
and one of their scientists wanted to show that artificial Van Allen 
belts could be created.  It worked and a couple satellites were fried in 
the process.  Devices used are supposed to have been warheads from the 
Genie air-to-air missile(~2 kT). (1958)

The Fishbowl test series included Starfish (1 Mt+ at 248 miles near 
Johnston Atoll, Checkmate (~60kt at 483,000 ft), Bluegill (~1 Mt at 
160,000 ft), Kingfish (~1Mt at 160,000 ft).  Starfish, in particular, 
had big ionospheric effects and that was part of its intent.(1962)

About 1960 AF Cambridge Research Lab  and MIT Lincoln Lab launched a 
bunch of X-band dipoles into low earth orbit.  When i say a bunch, i 
think there were millions of these little wire dipoles cut for X-band.  
The astronomers had a fit, but the dipoles didn't separate very well and 
didn't form the desired chain around the earth to reflect X-band signals.

In the early 70's, whatever NOAA was at the time had a large antenna 
field and a multi-MW MF/HF transmtter in Colorado.  The antennas were 
pointed straight up and the goal was to modify the ionosphere by 
creating an artificial (but sub-visible) aurora over the transmitter 
site at Platteville, Co.  When i was in San Antonio, I made several 6 
meter contacts with Az using this artificail aurora. The transmitter was 
periodically turned off and the artificial aurora would disappear and it 
was run during times of the year when aurora and E-skip were unlikely so 
there waqs no doubt about the propagation mode.

More recently I believe the Space Shuttle carried a plasma producer to 
create a plasma antenna.  Since I haven't heard of it in years, it seems 
it wasn't very successful.

There were also several rocket launches from Eglin AFB, Fl that released 
a gas cloud which the sun ionized and was used to trace the magnetic 
field lines in the lower ionosphere.

Besides the US, the Soviet Union also played around with the 
ionosphere.  I'm not as familiar with their experiments.

As you can see we've been messing around in the ionosphere for 60+ 
years.  Fortunately the early experiments didn't have an EPA to contend 
with so there were no environmental impact statements required.  This 
latest experiment is not so lucky.  I doubt it will ever happen.  
Anyway, have fun.

Kerry





On 8/23/2016 10:33 AM, Gary Johnson wrote:
> http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3753417/The-Air-Force-reveals-radical-plan-bomb-sky-improve-radio-reception.html
>
> Gary J
> N5BAA
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