Space Reflectors

[KI4HWJ]

I dont know the exact figure but there are quite a bit of dead satellites in a geosynchonous orbit and some of these dead satellites are very large (i.e. old russian recon satellites which are large enough to be visible on some occasions). What I am proposing is using these hunks of junk to act as passive repeaters, if you will. I have not tried this but have been pondering on this for quite a while. Basicly what you would do is bounce your radio siginal off these satellites. It would be just like EME communications. I reallize the possibility of loss but is this form of communications possible? When the Iriduim class of satellites die they will be perfect for this because they have huge radio reflectors on them for satellite phones. Any thoughts on this mode of communication? Any feedback would be helpful.
thank you
73
KI4HWJ

[N3ZKP]

Interesting idea, but I wonder if the tracking info is still available on the dead birds.

[KI4HWJ]

 Yes, you can on the tracking program SatScape.

[WA9SVD]

Any of the "dead" satellites are much too small (and oddly shaped) to reflect any significant amount of signal, not to mention the problem of aiming a signal with a sufficiently narrow beam to actually "catch" one of the birds.  Even with the active Amateur Radio Satellites, (designed to capture and re-transmit, not reflect, radio signals) aiming an antenna in altitude and azimuth can be difficult.
    Also, note that the "Iridium" satellites, although their physical design, etc. allows for frequent visual sightings, they did not "reflect" the Iridium service signals, but rather received and retransmitted those signals.
    The idea of a passive reflector satellite WAS attempted by the U.S. Government in the early 1960's, in Project ECHO, which were large silvered-mylar coated balloons, but communication via these was marginal and required very high powered transmitters, even for the government.  (The ECHO satellites weren't very reliable or long-lived, at that.)
    For more info, "Google" on "Echo Satellites."