On 7/30/14, Rich/wa4bue richard.siff@verizon.net wrote:
The cost of a launch has been a problem since day one of our space program and will remain a problem until there are many paradigm shifts. But the longer it is business as usual, the cost to orbit a satellite will remain high. Not but a few months ago we were celebrating on the blog so many birds being launched and they were - and they are in orbit (in operational).
For all of us now and for everyone in the past that want to communicate with
OSCARs it is a long slow path to routine. But if it was routine we would find ourselves taking OSCAR communications for granted just like 20 meters.
Who on the blog has an idea for cheaper launch and think about HEO too?
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From what I hear, $50,000 for launching a cubesat into LEO seems to be
the price that people are trying to achieve.
One solution is cheap launchers. There's someone who's working on not just a system but a methodology by which someone can send a payload into orbit very quickly. However, from that I've heard, he's a long way from that goal.
Another is launching several spacecraft at the same time, much like what has been done in recent years. The SHERPA system that was recently announced is one possibility. However, should that malfunction, then all the satellites on board will likely be lost, which is what happened with the KickSat.
73s
Bernhard VA6BMJ @ DO33FL