Is it possible to hide a base in the Kuiper Belt?
With the Kuiper Belt being composed of well over 100 million objects - some grand, some insignificant - is it possible to hide an asteroid base from enemy sensors within its confines, combined with the vast distances of space?
Additional info:
- The size for the base would be within an object with a 70 mile circumference. The current population stands at over 350,000.
- Large ships would occasionally be coming and going from his base, smaller mining vessels somewhat more frequently.
- The enemy searching for them has a deep-seated fear and loathing for true AI. They certainly have advanced computer systems, but nothing independent like an AI powered probe would ever be used.
- The colony/base was established 70 years ago. Their enemy has been searching for them nearly as long.
- The "seekers" are a multi-system ruling class. They're widespread both throughout the galaxy and our system, and have superior technology to the "hiders" - the seekers outpace the others by around 600 years. However, the hiders have certainly managed to glean a lot of their enemy's techniques and tech over the decades. The hiders do have fully-sentient (benevolent) AI systems to assist them in their quest for survival.
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1 answer
Is it possible to hide a base in the Kuiper Belt?
I believe so yes, but with certain provisos:
Since it is known that:
Scientists estimate that thousands of bodies more than 100 km (62 miles) in diameter travel around the sun within this belt.
And many with a diameter of 500Km and upwards.
The best thing would be to hide the base behind one.
The searchers would therefore only be searching from "Sunside" of the belt, as the base would be clearly visible from "Starside".
Station-keeping and collision-prevention systems would need to use cold driven mass-reaction, as would supply ships - to avoid an IR signature.
Supply ships would take a Burn-and-Glide roundabout route behind the objects of the belt so as to not give away position, they would need thermal shielding on Sunside, and a way to radiate excess heat on Starside.
Supply ships should not exceed the minimum directly detectable size of the hunter's telescopes. Today that would be 30 miles across by reflected light through Hubble (the smallest detected ever was a 1/2 mile diameter object, by the occultation method and lots of heavy maths). You might consider painting them with vantablack, for extra stealth.
Not essential, but as an added measure of protection a number of decoy dummy transceivers/IR sources could be set up around the orbit of the belt, with regular drone traffic dragging chaff and creating false coms and IR trails, just to keep 'em guessing which one is the real base. With the know-how and a little budget - it could be quite infuriating to the searchers.
Thanks to: notovny's comment, edit made.
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