[Laser] moon repeater

[Jim Moss]

One mirrored satellite was STARSHINE.
Apparently a number of these have been launched.
http://science.msfc.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast09oct_1.htm
http://www.azinet.com/starshine/ss4_manual_full.html
 
Apparently they have only about a 6 month life
http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/starshine_orbit_000215.html
 
 
SEESAT-L (1998)
 
SUNSAT
http://www.jamsat.or.jp/oscar/sunsat/mirror/sspapers/s%26epayl1.htm
 
 
 
 

Jim Moss <n9jim-6@pacbell.net> wrote:
Perhaps some of you will recall...
1) many of the existing satellites contain retroreflectors. You can use them as targets and they are much closer (lower power required) but usually smaller.
http://ilrs.gsfc.nasa.gov/index.html
link budget:
http://www.wettzell.ifag.de/publ-cgi-bin/linkbudget.py

2) Japan launched a mirror covered satellite a while back. (another target with scattering potential) Sorry can't remember the bird...

Jim
N9JIM/6


WA4QAL wrote:
Firstly, the environmentalists (and, probably the astronomers and 
planetary geologists) would throw a fit (possibly even justified).
Nextly, persuading NASA to do anything is almost impossible without
an excessive amount of paperwork and an incredible delay. 
Thirdly, I'm not real sure it would even work, since the glass
microspheres might settle into the lunar dust and be obscured.

Here's an alternate idea (just so I don't come across as 
throwing cold water over everthing). What are the possibilities
of making either a hot air or Helium balloon out of the 
movie screen material (the kind covered with the 
micro-retro-reflectors) and sending it up? Would there be
enough reflectance off of it to bounce laser signals off of
it? Would this have to be done during the day, or could it be
floated at night? I know the FAA has some rather stringent
rules on size and weight of balloons and their launch requirements,
but, since this would be just a balloon with no payload (other than
the envelope), it might qualify for a night launch. Maybe.
Aiming might be a problem, but, then again, a simple sweep might 
be able to find it. 

Dave
WA4QAL

> Message: 2
> From: "Steve Bailey" 
> To: 
> Subject: Re: [Laser] moon repeater
> Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 10:30:07 -0500
> Reply-To: laser@mailman.qth.net
> 
> I suppose one could lobby NASA to explode a large package of glass
> micro-spheres [the kind used in highway centerline paint] over the lunar
> surface. -ka1rxx
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