Have you ever seen those science fiction films where the crew consults a computer for information about a target of interest?

Example - a spacecraft encounters an asteroid. The captain asks the science officer "what can you tell me about it?".

The science officer peers into a glowing panel, and says "It's xxx kilometers across.....moving at XXX speed. It's composed of 40% nickel, 40% iron, 10% ice, and 10% of an element of unknown origin. It also has a breathable oxygen atmosphere, and there is a cave on the north side inhabited by voluptuous green-skinned female humanoids."


My cliché illustrates the concept of a computer that passively "scans" something to extract/compile a nebulous volume of data, then allows a user to specify individual characteristics for things that they want to know. The only limit is obviously going to be the type and style of detectors present to provide the computer with usable data.

Assuming you wanted to create a computer that "scans" things, and could tell you everything you could possibly know about it, what sort of instruments would you want within the array?

??? Yust take a ordinary mirror put some motion detector in the frame and play a tape that say's "damm your looking good" everytime you pass.


More seriosly a spectroscope with multiple filters to determine it's surface composition some sort of laser to determine it's density a still camera that takes several pics and compare them with stills background objects to determine it's orbit.
A computer with class reference capability able to link the object with similar previously better studied resembling objects.

An interferometer is always useful. TMK this is the best method for remotely analysing distant objects (allowing for spectroscopy, of course).