RE: Re: starship-design: One way (again...)

[David Levine <david@actionworld.com>]

> ----------
> From: 	Kelly St[SMTP:KellySt@aol.com]
> Subject: 	Re:  Re: starship-design: One way (again...)
> 
> We should be able to image thing in the star system down to atleast a
> few
> meters resoultion from Sol.
> 
Hm.  We can only just achieve this resolution of Mars with Global
Surveyor (which is in orbit above Mars).  I'd be very surprised if we
could develop this kind of imaging resolution at interstellar distances
any time soon.  I'd be more optimistic about resolutions around five
orders of magnitude greater (i.e. a few hundred kilometers) by the time
we're technically ready to send a first mission - and even this is still
well outside our capability.  It would be enough, however, to give us
basic images of the planets of the target star.  It would also allow us
to do a variety of spectral experiments.  We could also detect the
largest asteroids and moons, if we were meticulous.
------------------------------------------------------
David Levine                     david@actionworld.com
Director of Development    http://www.actionworld.com/
ActionWorld, Inc.                       (212) 387-8200
Professional Driver.  Closed Track.  Do not attempt.