The Astral Recon Problem [4e] Options

[JetBlack]

I'm a GM prepping a 4e campaign. I ran a ton of 1e back in the 90s, but have been away since then, so I know the broad outlines of the world but I'm still getting up to speed on the specifics. With that in mind, I wonder if anything has been done about a problem that used to drive me to distraction: astral recon.

Basically, whenever possible before going into a potentially dangerous situation like a meet, the team mage would simply project and scope the whole place out. Not every opposition force has mages or spirits for "air cover", and those that don't pretty much get their whole setup blown. Numbers, weapons, physical layout, all are ease to suss out when you're a physically invulnerable ghost and the opposition can't even see you let alone stop you.

Now obviously this does not apply to secure areas, but astral security is expensive and complicated, leaving most of the world as a mage's playground.

Am I missing something? Is there a reason why this trick would not work this well? All I could think to do would be to make astral space more dangerous, with rogue spirits and the like looking to take a bite out of an unwary astral voyager.

I would value any guidance on this issue. If possible, please be kind enough to include citations to help me find the rules and info I may be missing. Many thanks in advance.

-Jet