I wasn't aware that let stars shine through solid objects.

“If something looks interesting enough, one of the telescopes is switched to laser mode, and a laser flash is used to illuminate the target. Even black objects reflect some light.”

I was referring to this part.

That wasn't the part about finding satellites, though.

And 99.965% absorption is still visible in a bright light.

There's an interesting demonstration of this on Youtube:

"The Worlds Blackest Black vs The Worlds Brightest Flashlight (32,000 lumen)—Which Will Win?"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaFdCvnV8PM

To summarize, the flashlight wins, and it's reasonable to expect the effect would be the same with a laser and sensitive detection equipment.

@zak (sorry, I couldn't reply directly)

That isn't Vantablack as such though, is it? Afaik, Vantablack proper requires a specific application process [1], which I've mentally envisaged as being something akin to growing diamonds in a lab on a substrate, or applying flocking to materials.

I'd be quite curious to know what the reflectivity would be like on some clever coating consisting of vertically-laid carbon nano tubes, etc.

[1] - https://www.surreynanosystems.com/vantablack/applying-vantab...

Have to use a negative index of refraction metamaterial cloak