Can SETI tell the difference??

Maybe a dumb question here but.............

Can SETI and other large arrays make distinctions in different satellites?? What I mean is, can each and every satellite be thouroughly looked at? I have heard that everything in orbit from the size of a golfball and bigger is being tracked?? Now, there must be some very big stuff that may be DOD/Military (and who knows what it may be??) and may not be.

But, how does SETI knows exactly what it is, other than the rough dimensions of the object?

Thanks, Mondo

Originally posted by Mondogiwa
Maybe a dumb question here but.............

Can SETI and other large arrays make distinctions in different satellites?? What I mean is, can each and every satellite be thouroughly looked at? I have heard that everything in orbit from the size of a golfball and bigger is being tracked?? Now, there must be some very big stuff that may be DOD/Military (and who knows what it may be??) and may not be.

But, how does SETI knows exactly what it is, other than the rough dimensions of the object?

Thanks, Mondo

Mondo,

From my understanding Seti is not looking for objects only radio transmissions.

AlBeMeT

Right, sorry I should have pointed that out as well.
However, using the doppler effect can't they determine relative size and all of earth orbit objects??