Lunar Observatories: Grand Plans vs. Clear Problems

From: spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com [mailto:spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Lucio de Souza Coelho

> Such geographic-scale interferometric telescopes could in theory
> image continents and even weather systems in extrasolar worlds.

You should read the following paper by Gerard O'Neill:

A High Resolution Orbiting Telescope, Science 160, No. 3830, 843 (May 1968).

In this paper he proposes a space telescope composed of many 1-meter mirrors. The mirrors use lasers rather than GPS for position-sensing for station-keeping (as others have pointed out). And as I recall the resolution was indeed sufficient to chart weather patterns on extra-solar planets.

Regards,

Mike Combs