CU Crypto Session Sat

[Jim choate]

> 
> >Denning mentioned terrorists.  I rebutted with satellite surviellance.  I 
> >pointed out that we could read a poker hand via computer enhancement.  This
> >visibly shook her.  Escrowed encryption is completely unnecessary, and she
> 
> Some time ago I worked out the theoretical limits on spy satellite
> resolution.  It's a simple exercise in optics, if you make optimistic
> assumptions like no atmospheric distortion, etc. My only major
> engineering assumption was that the objective mirror had to fit inside
> the payload fairing of a Titan launcher, i.e., about 2 meters max. The
> result, at visible wavelengths and for the slant ranges typical of spy
> satellite orbits, was about 1 foot. This was completely consistent
> with the leaked KH-11 photos of the Soviet aircraft carrier published
> some time back in AW&ST and Deep Black.  Good, but not exactly good
> enough to read poker hands, I would say.
> 
> Believe it or not, the laws of physics apply even to classified projects.
> 
> Phil
> 
> 
> 
A much simpler, computationaly anyway, solution is to look at Hubble...