If long-distance television reception is a happy accident for enthusiasts, specialists can confidently receive images transmitted from distances of up to 1,200 miles (approximately 2,000 kilometers) from time to time.
You might be curious about what “from time to time” means and what intervals can occur between receptions. This isn’t influenced by solar activity, weather, or other whims of nature; it depends on human efforts. Scientists can launch a rocket to an altitude of about 62 miles (100 kilometers), command it to release an ammonia cloud, and direct radiation from a television transmitter toward it, ensuring reception over great distances.
The ammonia cloud lasts about 20 minutes in the stratosphere before dissipating, cutting off the television broadcast.
In the future, it’s possible that by increasing the payload of rockets and creating a more powerful cloud, we could extend the duration of these broadcasts, allowing people to see events happening in places that are truly far away.