Greetings All, Just received the May/June Journal. It is extremely disheartening.
For the 2nd issue in a row, there's no status report on Eagle (using the term in the broad sense as W2GPS uses it, to include the possibility of a rideshare). In Rick's Apogee View, there are the most vague references to progress, but the whole piece could have been written long, long ago. No conceivable definition of a progress report would include that writeup. There is not a single specific citation of real progress. We can only assume there has been none.
This criticism has nothing to do with the difficulty in identifying an affordable launch opportunity, the discussion of which has been lengthy here. It has to do with getting ready for a launch if and when it appears possible. At one level, this is a chicken and egg problem; without a specific launch opportunity, what is to be built? But, the way to get out of a chicken and egg situation is to acquire either a chicken or an egg. We have neither. Without a chicken there'll never be an egg, and vice versa.
Let's get a bird basically ready to go, i.e. designed, prototyped, tested, refined, etc. Where are we on these steps? How much more money is needed to get us there? Is the prospect of raising that amount of money good or is it as grim as being able to afford a launch?
I continue to think that there is enough talent here to do the real stuff. That has been demonstrated many times. What there is little evidence of is the capacity to manage the effort in a way that improves the prospects of pulling the pieces (finance, planning, decision making) together.
If I am wrong about all this, then please show the evidence. Just where are we on the many pieces that will comprise the bird? When will they be finished? How much will it cost? etc, etc, etc. I don't buy "progress" when none is apparent. Please make it apparent to us.
73, Tony, N2UN LM 183