Re: Spy Satelites

["P. O. Johnson" <pojhome@FLASH.NET>]

Shawn

In a previous life I designed, developed, and operated photo and radio
intercept satellites for the US government. Although I can't reveal the best
resolving power of our photo satellites, I can assure you that not only can
they not resolve the date on a dime, they can't even resolve a dime or even
a quarter.

Brian Whatcott's message gives you some of the physics behind our design of
the telescopes for these satellites.

P O Johnson
Collin County College

PS. What's the difference between Shawn and Sean?

----- Original Message -----
From: Shawn Knudsen <shawn.knudsen@NSANPETE.K12.UT.US>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Sunday, December 12, 1999 5:48 PM
Subject: Spy Satelites


> I advise a youth group for my church and while talking with
> a couple of teenage boys the subject of spy satelites came
> up.  One of the boys mentioned that he saw in a Scholastic
> News Magazine that the U.S. has spy satelites that can read
> (resolve) the date on a dime from space.  I schoffed at that
> remark but told the boys that I would look into the matter.
> Does anyone on this list have solid information that I could
> take back to these curious boys?