Hi Paul,
Can I also point out another challenge that AMSATs face now and will face in the future that maybe wasn't such a big issue in the past?
"Debris Mitigation" - the recent collisions have made space agencies and similar authorities extremely aware and concerned - this means that the recommendation that spacecraft are deorbited (or reorbited higher in the case of geostationary birds) within 25 years of intended/expected end of mission is, or will soon become, a requirement rather than a recommendation.
This means that University cubists and similar "expected short operational life" spacecraft may not find launch opportunities above about 600kms height.
The silver lining might be that an amateur payload, which could be enabled after the end of the main mission of a spacecraft, might be seen as a valid method to push back the "end of life" date and therefore justify a higher orbit.
That means that we will have to demonstrate, by example and design justification, that we can provide functionality in the long term rather than for just a few months/years.
Not impossible but a challenge for our future satellite builders:)
For my money, a really rad hardened linear transponder that is designed to function with or without batteries and that is on a spacecraft that has one of these low thrust solar electric propulsion systems to eanble us to reach MEO would be perfect! But of course this is not a simplesat and would need a grown up attitude control system and probably other complex parts.
As Drew has suggested - to hitch a ride on someone else bird would be a neat trick.
cheers
Graham G3VZV
----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrew Glasbrenner" glasbrenner@mindspring.com To: "paul robinson" pushbiker2004@yahoo.co.uk Cc: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 5:56 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: 2M1EUB/P VIA AO7 HAND HELD ANTS
AMSAT ARE YOU LISTENING??? FOOT PRINT BEING IMPORTANT!!
Of course we are. Satellites aren't launched on desire only.
Earlier this year I was in contact with the only launch provider I could find who had launches to over 800km. They had no secondary opportunities available.
A launch to 600 to 800 km for an AO-51 sized satellite would cost 400k to 800k dollars from all the providers we've spoken to. That's almost as unobtainable on our own as the 10 million for Intelsat or 7 million for P3E.
I think our best chance to get back to a higher orbit is going to be hitching a ride on someone else's satellite, and we are actively pursuing this in several directions. If you work for someone who could, or know of an opportunity to carry a 1 or 2 kilo package to orbit, and provide us with ~5 watts of power, please email me privately with details. We have the hardware, as a direct result of the SuitSat-2/Arissat-1 effort. All we need is the ride.
73, Drew KO4MA
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