NOSS & spysats
R.B. Minton (rbminton@sembilan.UCHSC.edu)
Tue, 21 May 1996 13:13:36 -0600
On 17 May Ted Molczan posted a lengthy message about NOSS & spysats ending with
a query for additional thoughts. I don't pretend to have any better answers
myself - just additional thoughts.
These satellites are very important to different people for a variety of reasons
and they will go to great lengths to protect them. Allen Thompson mentions D&D
and I have heard the term Maskirovka used to mean the same. After Lacrosse 1
got bagged by amteurs these different people decided to start launching these
strategic resources on expendible boosters rather than the shuttle. They also
started disappearing by using altitude and plane changes. I also strongly
suspect that changes in flash rates, and "breakups" are just more D&D. You can
pack a lot of inflatable balloons, aluminized mylar, radar reflective wire, etc.
into a small volume.
My final thought is for anyone interested in observing satellites to think of
various observation techniques to discern what is really up there. For NOSS it
might be listening for it on radio frequencies (since it is doing radio inter-
ferometry), looking for glints from long-wire antennas; or anything else out of
the ordinary. I'm also certain that when we find a weak area, that will be the
next place they beef-up their D&D. I see seesat-l's greatest assets being it's
computational abilities, observational prowness, experience, and communication.
R. B. Minton
Computer Specialist, V A Medical Center
Work: (303) 393-2881 FAX: (303) 393-4671
System: Macintosh w/ POPmail Browser on Netscape
Location: +40.0875 -104.7925 (Fort Lupton, CO.)