RE: Analysis of Fading of TIPS Tether

From: Matson, Robert (ROBERT.D.MATSON@saic.com)
Date: Fri Aug 02 2002 - 16:15:45 EDT

  • Next message: Allen Thomson: "Re: Analysis of Fading of TIPS Tether"

    Hi Willie and List,
    
    Regarding the fading of the TiPS tether you wrote:
    
    > Although fading presents one logical explanation, I've been intrigued by
    > tether visibility since the first ones were launched.  Without consulting
    > the SeeSat-L archives but from memory (shaky ground, I know! ;-) at the
    > time of SEDS and TSS, I remember the lengthy discussions we had about just
    > how it is possible to see such a thin cable at such a distance.  I don't
    > think we ever got a logical conclusion?  We have since taken it for
    > granted that they are visible and stopped asking why.
    
    At the time, I remember answering (in quite detailed fashion) with a
    calculation of the tether brightness based on geometry, photometry,
    and limiting resolution of the human eye.  The (seemingly bright) magnitude
    observed proved to be perfectly reasonable based on these first principles
    and a rather nominal assumption for the optical reflectivity of the fiber.
    Nothing more than solar reflection is required.
    
    Cheers,
    Rob
    
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    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 : Fri Aug 02 2002 - 16:35:08 EDT