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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxt!mhuxi!mhuxa!houxm!houxz!halle1
From: halle1@houxz.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: sattelites
Message-ID: <345@houxz.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 21-Jul-83 13:59:45 EDT
Article-I.D.: houxz.345
Posted: Thu Jul 21 13:59:45 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Jul-83 05:54:00 EDT
References: sri-arpa.3180, <835@pur-phy.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel NJ
Lines: 9

Not true.  Common sense, and a little pencil and paper sketch, says that
the satellite must be infinitely high for 50% of the GROUND to see it,
but for something else in orbit, it could be seen significantly more than
50% of the time without being so far away.  The exact
amount would depend on the altitudes of the two
objects.  I haven't worked out the situation for a geosynchronous orbit
and the shuttle.  I expect that 33% is about right.  However, that does
not alter the fact that one could easily set up a situation where two
satellites would be sufficient for 100% contact.