What Would Sensors On Scifi SSTO's Even Look Like?

[Rakaydos]

On 2/8/2022 at 8:48 PM, Spacescifi said:

I know virtually nothing about why dishes are special (why not use a bell nozzle dish instead).

Bell nozzles are about turning a point pressure (at the throat) into a directional flow. The more of the flow interacts with the bell, the better, so it's a very DEEP parabola.

A parabolic antenna, on the other hand, is just a lense, taking a directional signal and focusing it at the focal point. a shallow chord of the parabola  is both sufficent, and lighter, even allowing for the stick to put your sensor (or transmitter) at the focal point.

[kerbiloid]

Bell nozzles are perfect reflectors, that's why the LK required an overhead flip after separation before the lunar landing.