Re: [amsat-bb] Laser Satellite Comms

["Bill Jones" <wejones@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 This is a little off topic, but I am curious how the following 
would affect the efficiency of a lunar or satellite reflector.  
When I used to work for the Army, I ran accross some little 
cubical reflectors, which I think were about 2" on a side. the 
interesting thing about these things is that one side was open, 
and inside the cube was an array of mirrors arranged so that 
no matter what direction they faced they would return light to 
the source. Ie you could see your image no matter how you 
hold the thing.  I think the things were originally intended to be 
used for reflecting a laser back to the source , but the 
application was never pursued.  In any event, it would seem 
that if reflectors of this type were placed on a sat it would 
increase the residence time of the returned signal. I am not 
sure how the reflectors worked, and it is possible that to 
function that they gave up some percentage of their reflective 
cross area, but it seems you would get this back by getting 
return from multiple mirrors.  I hope I haven't remembered what 
these reflectors do wrong.  Has anyone else ever heard of 
such reflectors?


+----------------------------------+
| Bill Jones, N3JLQ,Sweden, Maine  |
| wejones@megalink.net             |
| http://www.megalink.net/~wejones |
+----------------------------------+
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