If you can make a flight ready amateur payload with some kind of educational association in the next 3 months, there is a ride. You get a temperature controlled 0-60C flat plate about 4" by 7" and 28v power on the outside of a large free-flyer. The bad news is that the mission is low LEO so maybe only a life time of 3 or 4 months.
Riding back from the smallsat conference to the airport in the shuttle one of the passengers asked If I wanted to fly an APRS payload. I said sure. THen he said "do you know anyone else too?" Need to involve "students" is important...
I apologize that I dont have any of your prior emails (Im transiting airports for the next 14 hours and wont have access to old emails for 2 more days, but didnt want to wast any time. I hate to spin people up like this, and it may take a week for me to get official details, and it may only be a pipe dream, but thought I would share it.
Your box will be attached to their plate, and your other side is exposed to space. They will provide another 28v to burn any release mechanisims for your antennas. Assume one edge of your box can be close to a spacecraft edge so your antenna can come out and hang over an edge. Or your box can be a few inches high and can deploy its antenna "up" from the plate and then you have more mounting options. Whether you are on the top, bottom, or side of the mother ship is still open. Spacecraft is well powered and 3 axis stabilized.
Serious builders with space experience ONLY. I gotta not only build mine, but also finish two others and should not be wasting time with emails.
AND you have to have your IARU frequency coordination and FCC paperwork done too.
But power, a platform, an attitude, some temperature control, quick attachment, and a ride are hard to pass up.
Bob, WB4APR