Re: USA 144: The Mystery Deepens - Flash Timings Needed

From: Patrice Scattolin (scattol@videotron.ca)
Date: Thu Aug 08 2002 - 08:53:25 EDT

  • Next message: Markus Mehring: "Re: USA 144: The Mystery Deepens - Flash Timings Needed"

    Ted Molczan wrote:
    
    >  
    >
    >It is now generally accepted that Misty was the first U.S. LEO stealth
    >satellite. It is believed that hobbyists were able to see it easily
    >until early Nov 1990 because its optical stealth mechanism was active
    >only when in sight of Russian optical tracking stations. 
    >
    
    This has me puzzled. Satellites can have "optical stealth" mechanisms? 
    What exactly is that?
    I would have though that just painting it black would do (aside from the 
    heat problem). What is
    that mechanism that warrants the trouble of moving it in and out when 
    there are risks but
    preferably moving it out when the risks are gone? I am really curious
    
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe'
    in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org
    http://www.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Aug 08 2002 - 09:00:18 EDT