Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!ulysses!smb
From: smb@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com (Steven M. Bellovin)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Reentry blackout (was Re: Space Program-related acronyms)
Keywords: plasma frequency
Message-ID: <12025@ulysses.homer.nj.att.com>
Date: 12 Aug 89 14:08:52 GMT
References: <135@sdcc10.ucsd.EDU> <298@opus.NMSU.EDU> <1015@accuvax.nwu.edu> <1989Aug12.005558.6729@cs.rochester.edu>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 4

If you want some gross speculation, the plasma generated by the
shuttle re-entries does not cover the top surfaces.  Thus, it's
not so much TDRSS that helps as the presence of a receiver above
the plasma ball.