Ev,
Please read the post on the subject of Phase 3E on this BB. The issue was money. To insure a timely integration with the primary load - we would have been a ride share - the primary load was insisting on that a commercial contractor be brought on board at the cost of several million dollars. The issue was not skills or parts or design, then issue was plain and simple - more money than we could reasonably expect to raise.
Just as an FYI AMSAT for a number of reasons has to comply with Nondisclosure Agreements (NDA's) from the various agencies and commercial launch vendors with whom they work. Trust me, if it okay for us to know in munchkin land we will know it.
As was also pointed out elsewhere we are bucking an industry trend right now. We want to go higher while industry wants to go LEO with clouds, literally thousands of Cubesats. And that makes HEO rideshares hard to find at a cost the amateur radio community it willing and able to pay.
Don Quixote had his cause and it was noble. He also had his best friend Sancho who had the unenviable task of trying to pull Don Quixote back into reality. Remember it is a hobby, assume positive intent on the part of the AMSAT BoD and the other amateur radio operator on this BBS. And let's not let the perfect become the enemy of the good enough.
73,
Johnny
On Sat, Aug 3, 2019 at 7:44 AM Ev Tupis via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
Michael's reply (recopied at the bottom) amplified something interesting in my mind.
One receives peer-support by introducing attainable hope and both envisioning and producing something tangible that can be built upon.
In our case, "something tangible" can be as easy as re-reading the news found at https://www.amsat.org/project-status-overview/ ... scroll to the bottom where Phase 3E is mentioned.
To build on "something tangible", someone at AMSAT could post the project plan of the steps needed to get that thing in the air. Include "got it", "working on it already" and "need it" tags (along with contact information for each item).
Let us help to fill-in the holes. Those with skills, contacts and resources exist beyond those who are presently AMSAT members and those who you will "see at the October conference".
Enthusiastically yours, Ev, W2EV
PS: If we succumb to the "non-disclosure / secrecy" approach, we are doomed. Be brave. Be profound. The same approach that got things stagnant can't be used to get things accomplished.
On Friday, August 2, 2019, 9:42:16 PM EDT, Michael via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb@amsat.org> wrote:
I supported a long time until I felt that AMSAT wasn't listening to their rank and file members anymore. I've seen or heard nothing so far these last few days to change that impression. And again, I've heard these pie in the sky promises before. Fool me once... When I see something tangible, FRESH, and real again I'll but my money where my mouth is. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in my sentiments. "If you build it, they will come..." Wearing out the cliches but maybe some food for thought for AMSAT management. Unfortunately I don't think they are listening anymore than when I and many others became disgruntled with the direction of the organization.
73
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