The visibility of the International Space Station (ISS) when painted black is significantly affected by surface texture and material properties. A rough matte surface would likely reduce visibility due to light scattering, while specialized coatings like those used on the B-2 Stealth Bomber could further minimize reflectivity. The discussion highlights the potential use of carbon nanotube coatings, which could absorb light effectively, making the ISS less noticeable against the night sky. However, even with these coatings, the ISS would only be briefly visible against celestial bodies like the moon.
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No problem Quantula! Interesting article, it appears light is scattered inside and the micro tubes pick up relatively the same reflection, impressive.Quantula said:Thanks for the reply! I’ll have to research anti-reflective coatings. Maybe the stuff they use on the B-2 Stealth Bomber would be sufficient to cut any noticeable reflectivity.
If mass production was feasible, one could cover the station in this carbon nanotube coating (http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/super-black-material.html)! You might be able to see it pass in front of the moon, but it would happen so quickly I doubt it would be noticeable.