> How would you do the data entry into the laser?
There are a couple ways; You could use an Electro-Optical modulator. A
device that you pass the beam through and feed an electrical signal to
that variably attenuates the beam intensity. Some lasers, especially
diode type, you can vary the drive current directly and affect the beam
intensity. My Argon laser is a high voltage gas laser and would need an
external modulator.
> You have something on the ground that can output that fast to the
> laser?
Well, we would start with something simple, like a high speed serial
stream.
> Is there anything that can read a Gigabyte a sec from a disk?
No need, do it from memory. You don't have to write it all at once. It
loops every 2.6 seconds, just wait for it to come around and append more
data to the end.
> I see flaming disks in the future.
I'm sure there will be several opportunities for entertainment along the
way.
> Just pipeline some PICS together and you can get the time
> resolution you want. *g*
I was thinking you could cascade (4) 8 bit counters together, attach the
clock line to a piece of aluminum foil and just put the whole thing in a
microwave oven...
Or we could look around for a surplus TDR capable of measuring fiber
lengths of half a million miles...
Shoot the guys at NASA should have bunches of these things just laying
around, we got to call them anyways for the co-ordiantes of the retro
reflector on the moon.
Todd
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