I wonder if some AMSAT VIP's in the DC area should go to this:
*Coffee Briefing on Space Debris and Collisions* *Wednesday, June 10, 2009* *9:00am - 10:00am* *2253 Rayburn* *Keeping Our Space Assets Safe From *an Increasingly Crowded Space Environment,
If I was in DC, I would go to represent Student Satellites, but I am in Alabama on travel. Our position should fully support the mitigation of space debris, but we must make sure that the regulations are not overly burdensome to the small guys.
I reviewed a first draft that was ONLY written for the 100 Million dollar Launch Provider. It placed an extrordinary burden of "tests" and "reports" and bureaucratic processes that of course would be routine for the Space COmpany with an army of lawyers in their employ, but there was no provision for the small 1kg student payload for a simpler process.
This meeting is not the place to speak up, but it is the place to learn and to circulate and network and get a copy of what is being considered.
Im far from my desk and so have none of my AMSAT contact info, to try to get this to the AMSAT folks that might be able to get to the meeting.
Maybe one of them will see it here and can see about an amsat presence?
Bob, WB4APR