Submitted by ace11run2000 t3_yzi7ip in space
Hattix t1_ix0qtrl wrote
Yes, it is. It is bright enough that it would appear as a dot on a tracked image, or as a line on an untracked one.
It is essentially a very reflective (high albedo) NEO (near-earth object) at <1 lunar-distance. A quick back of envelope calculation gives it a magnitude of around 16-18, a touch brighter than Pluto.
We can detect dark (asphalt or even darker) rocks smaller than Orion at a greater distance.
A similarly quick spherical-cow physics back of envelope calculation tells me we could detect the Orion capsule out around the distance of Mars.
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