Hi Kevin!
P3E is off in the future, I don't even think the sat is close to ready to launch, and then you have the launch itself to consider, I want P3E also but I also understand its not going to be soon.
That's been a question of mine, and a question asked of me in the recent past. When someone asks me "Should I build my satellite station to work with HEO satellites now?", my answer is usually "Don't worry about it, until we have one in orbit".
Until that day comes, I'm going to have fun working our current satellites - in FM, SSB, and occasionally CW. When, or if, an HEO is launched, then I'll gladly reequip my station to work that as well.
I remember seeing that at the AMSAT-UK Colloquium last year, the P3E launch cost was quoted as 10 million euros. One thing I have never been able to clearly determine is how much of that 10 million euros has been raised. I know I can buy pixels on that picture that has been on the AMSAT-DL web page for a long time, but I expect there has been more raised than just what we see on that picture. Can anyone connected with AMSAT-DL answer? That would help to put the P3E fundraising effort into some context.
AMSAT-NA has the PayPal widgets that started out with one that was for ARISSat-1 and Fox, and now there's a Fox-only widget on the AMSAT web site and in other places (like my QRZ.com entries and web page). I know there has been more $$$ donated to AMSAT than just what shows up on the PayPal widget, and I hope that combined total is publicized shortly - and then publicized on a regular basis. The PayPal widget for the Fox project (not the one that was for ARISSat-1 and Fox) has increased by 1/3 in the past 24 hours since the announcement of the NASA decision.
On the other hand FOX is NOW we have a means of getting into space,which is the biggest hurdle, so it needs funding NOW to get completed and on that ride.
I agree 100%. I've already made a couple of contributions, and I'm hoping AMSAT is able to deliver Fox-1 to NASA for that launch. :-)
Projects like FUNcube and KiwiSAT have also done a good job of publicizing what they have been doing and their needs - financial or otherwise. I've contributed to them, and - in the case of KiwiSAT - made multiple contributions. I'm all for not putting all of our eggs in one basket. More satellites would be a good thing.
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/