Well, the answers are in
Posted by bobbapink on Mar 13, 2002 at 10:17
(198.199.145.253)Re: Trick question? (Amaranth Rose)
Well Rose, The answers are in.
Though i'm not sure what you are asking now. The terms of the question have changed. Originally, the requirement was “How many communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit would it take to be able to transmit a signal to every point in the universe (assuming there were people there to listen) at all times, from this one single radio transmitter?”
If that's the requirement, then clearly the poles are points in the universe, roughly 3 million square miles of points per pole - so i maintain the answer is 6 satellites; 3 equidistant equatorial and 3 equidistant polar.
If that's not the requirement, and points on the planet do not matter, and you still require the geosynchronous nature of the orbits, then 3 equatorial satellites will suffice.
If you remove the geosynchronous requirement, but still require some kind of orbit, then two should suffice at the frequency range you specified (the greater the orbit, the lesser the uncovered band until it becomes smaller than the wavelength transmitted single – but I’ll not bother to work out the minimum height.)
If you remove the orbiting requirement altogether, and place the P-based transmitter at the pole, then 1 satellite should do nicely, heading forever perpendicularly to the planet’s orbit (northward).
So what's it gonna be?
Follow Ups:
- *Sigh* A Picture is Worth a Thousand Wor(l)ds Amaranth Rose 13/3 17:45 (2)
- Re: *Sigh* A Picture is Worth a Thousand Wor(l)ds Dale 14/3 10:13 (0)
- I still don't understand. bobbapink 13/3 18:23 (0)