The launch costs, while significant, are beside the point. The biggest issue with HEO satellites are the regulatory challenges. AMSAT and international partners could build and get ready for launch such a satellite within a few years, just as they did with AO-10, AO-13, and AO-40. But they would not get a license to put it into orbit in the current regulatory environment. The technical and financial challenges can be met, but the licensing requirements are killing us.
Just this month, a couple of NASA's own satellites had to be scratched from a launch because they did not meet the increasingly strict de-orbiting requirements for a license to orbit. (https://spacenews.com/nasa-cubesat-bumped-from-rideshare-launch-because-of-o...) And right now, even stricter international regulations are under consideration.
If NASA is having trouble meeting these restrictions, you can imagine how high the bar is for a non-profit organization of amateurs. Pipe dream all you want about launch opportunities, but if you can't get the necessary permits, it's just that -- pipe dreams. -- Mark D. Johns, KØJM AMSAT Ambassador & News Service Editor Brooklyn Park, MN USA EN35hd ----------------------------------------------- "Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." ---Mark Twain
-- Mark D. Johns, KØJM AMSAT Ambassador & News Service Editor Brooklyn Park, MN USA EN35hd ----------------------------------------------- "Heaven goes by favor; if it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in." ---Mark Twain
On Fri, Aug 12, 2022 at 8:43 AM Daniel Schultz n8fgv@usa.net wrote:
Rocket Lab's definition of "sensible cost" is $10 million. That is indeed a bargain price for a dedicated HEO mission. Do we think that AMSAT could raise that amount of money in a sensible amount of time?
Dan N8FGV
------ Original Message ------ Received: Thu, 11 Aug 2022 10:28:36 PM EDT From: Wendy and Terry Osborne wandtosborne@gmail.com To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [AMSAT-BB] Re: Phase IV satellite
With the recent success of Capstone and the Rocket Lab Photon spacecraft, it may be possible to put a transponder on a Photon mission to GEO at a sensible cost.
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