Hi all,
I read with interest an article on the web "ECHO - America's First Communications Satellite" By John R. Pierce which is available here: http://www.smecc.org/john_pierce___echoredo.htm
I know ham radio operators love using their hand helds to communicate using active transponders or active repeaters in space... no issue with that.
were there any ham radio projects (either through amsat-na or abroad) that implemented a passive reflector on an orbital vehicle like Project Echo
I quote from http://www.satmagazine.com/cgi-bin/display_article.cgi?number=490218137
The Echo-1 Balloon Satellite as it sits, fully inflated, at a Navy hangar in Weeksville, North Carolina. The spacecraft measured 100 feet across when deployed, and was nicknamed a ‘satelloon’ by those involved in the project. The mylar film balloon acted as a passive communications reflector for transcontinental and intercontinental telephone (voice), radio and television signals. Echo 1 re-entered the atmosphere May 24, 1968.
What strikes me is the implications of a large large very large antenna (reflector), if only it could be reflective on one side of the sphere only .... (any ideas?)
The Echo 2 was a 135-foot rigidized inflatable balloon satellite. The satellite is shown undergoing tensile stress test in a dirigible hanger at Weekesville. The satellite, 50 times more rigidized than Echo I. When folded, the satellite is packed into the 41-inch diameter canister shown in the foreground.
Did early amsat folks consider duplicating / adding to any of these projects or launch their own 'satelloon' that did not carry an active RF payload ? Could we outfit one of our future microsats to provide a reflector to aid in Earth-LEO DXing like meteor-scatter ?
73 de Samudra, N3RDX