At this point AMSAT is going to take the first thing that gets us above LEO that we can afford. If that is HEO, so be it. If it is GEO, it's GEO. Being divided and fussy over the details only detracts from the effort. We are basically beggars in the launch market, and we all know the saying about beggars and choosers. The mission is to provide long access time satellite comms on a daily, then 24/7 basis. How that happens is yet to be determined...
Sorry to be so brief but I have a lot going on with my day job at the moment. There will be more information forthcoming.
73, Drew KO4MA
----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Westbrook" k7zt@suddenlink.net To: "John B. Stephensen" kd6ozh@comcast.net; amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 8:44 AM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: AMSAT UK P3E Lecture HEO vs GEO. and AMSAT-NAPriorities
John: That certainly is one approach, I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with that, it's just a change in the stated goals of Eagle. The leadership needs to get in front of this and announce this is a significant shift in organizational strategy if indeed that is the plan.
At they same time for the sake of honesty they should probably tell folks that this will end AMSAT-NA sponsorship of an HEO (Molmiya Orbit) anytime soon or even in their lifetime ;-/
- Joe
----- Original Message ----- From: "John B. Stephensen" kd6ozh@comcast.net To: "Joe Westbrook" k7zt@suddenlink.net; amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 6:05 AM Subject: Re: AMSAT UK P3E Lecture HEO vs GEO. and AMSAT-NA Priorities
It appears that leadership is allowing realities of a rare, expensive launch opportunity drive the mission rather than the mission driving the launch method, it's a bit like the tail wagging the dog don't you think?
AO-40 was the case of a rare launch opportunity driving the mission. The AMSAT BoD has stated that the purpose of creating a relelationship with Intelsat would be to provide multiple launch opportunities. It seems to me that finding an affordable launch method should be the first step rather than the last step.
73,
John KD6OZH
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