I guess as a new fan/operator of the satellites who is currently dumping a large percentage of his paycheck into a HEO ground station infrastructure, I have a few questions and figured here would be the place to ask, as I can't read German and the US AMSAT page just says it's "in construction."
Is there a physical Phase 3E satellite on the ground (meaning, has actual construction begun)? what is the physical status of the project?
And also, it seems as though there is a bit of panic/uncertainity regarding the ability to actually get it in orbit, from a monetary standpoint. Has the funding or budget requirements for this project ballooned that much? I read the explanation of launch prices and it makes perfect sense, but what were the launch prices when the project was initiated?
I mean, what happens if we can't afford to put it up? Is all the construction money wasted? What happens to the bird?
The geosynchronous bird sounds great at first, but I can see where politics would play into its funding and orbit selection, perhaps.
Don't get me wrong - the LEO sats are fun and a great challenge, and I enjoy every contact I manage to scare up, but HEO is what got me into birds in the first place, way back when.
Matt KC4YLV