Posted on 11/07/2002 1:36:35 PM PST by GeneD
Spysats are in lower orbits, precisely because they need to maximize ground imaging resolution. 23K miles in the geosynchronous orbit used for comsats that "hover" above a specific point on the equator.
The calculations necessary are straightforward, if not a little esoteric. If someone knows what they are doing, it is a relatively simple task to plug the numbers into the equations and get the results. The flight computers just allowed many more calcualtions to be done more expediently.
Those are too small and not bright enough to be detected by something like the Hubble.
On the other hand, astronauts did leave behind corner-reflectors at the landing sites, and those can be detected from earth with a relatively modest (under $10K I think) amount of equipment. Essentially, you point a moderately-powerful laser at one of the landing sites while monitoring it with a telescope. If the laser is well-collimated, the efficiency of the reflector will be good enough that the reflected beam will be detectable [I'm not sure if it's visible, or has to be detected electronically, since I've not done the experiment]. Pointing the laser and telescope at part of the moon without the reflector will not work--only the landing sites with reflectors will send enough of the laser energy back to earth for it to be detectable.
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