[VLM]

Optical people are rolling their eyes at the size of reflector required for 1200 Hz.

BEST hope possible to make the story true would be clear glass semiconductors can detect incoming light so MAYBE germanium glass tube diodes hanging out in the air could get confused, although why a moon rocket would have bare unprotected glass semiconductors on the outside is a mystery.

[zbrozek]

_harmonics_ means more than just the first odd harmonic.

With 20 kilowatts flowing it's very believable that the comb reaches quite a ways up the spectrum. And the radiator doesn't have to be tremendously efficient or focused with that kind of input power to produce significant effects in unintentional receivers. Also remember that wiring harnesses in spacecraft are probably very long, so will be good receivers at many frequencies reaching quite low.

[VLM]

In that era, wrapped in a tube of grounded aluminum, making an excellent faraday cage.