A MEO orbit at 4500 km would be good compromise between range, path loss, radiation, time delay and doppler shift but the problem is geting there or to higher MEOs. Inevitably you'd end up with a propulsion system on your sat to get from a 'cheap' 700 km orbit. But once you've got such a system the additional costs to get it into an HEO orbit are negligable.
However, as the web page http://www.g0mrf.freeserve.co.uk/MEOSAT.htm shows there are other propulsion systems that are feasable assuming you're prepared to wait longer to achieve the final orbit.
One of the great things about Cubesats is that they allow you to try experiments such as alternate means of achieving orbital changes at 'little' cost.
73 Trevor M5AKA
--- On Mon, 11/8/08, Graham Shirville g.shirville@btinternet.com wrote:
From: Graham Shirville g.shirville@btinternet.com Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Re: AMSAT HEO design evolution (longish) To: "SV1BSX" sv1bsx@yahoo.gr, G0MRF@aol.com, m5aka@yahoo.co.uk, amsat-bb@amsat.org Date: Monday, 11 August, 2008, 10:29 PM
if we can not launch a HEO, why not about a MEO? I
remember a nice page
around Internet (unfortunately I can't find this
page any longer)
Try one of David's own pages:
http://www.g0mrf.freeserve.co.uk/MEOSAT.htm
Really interesting and thought provoking reading!
73
Graham G3VZV
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