I realized my monthly donation to AMSAT ?had stopped a short time ago.?
Wanting to re initiate it I am debating going with Fox vs P3E from our DL friends.? The DL version is obviously the coolest of the two, though Fox would probably more >immediately economically feasible.? Retired on a fixed income I spread my funds carefully.??? Being a HEO fanatic I question the short term feasibility of P3E.? I feel a HEO would be a huge boost in a expanding satellite community.? I give a >few talks, do a hamfest and try to carry the "message" .? Usually ending with, "we simply we need more money".? Maybe buy more lottery tickets or pool our Visa cards.? I know we have some very smart and "connected" people within >AMSAT to the commercial industry.? The big question, "where do we get the biggest bang for our buck".? An idol thought, what would NASA say/do if say North Korea?China,?or?Iran said we can launch a bird for you.? Yep throw politics into >it.? It's late, I'm rambling yet these tho!
ughts seem to forever occupy me.
fairwell to AO-51
73 Bob W7LRD
I can't tell you where to donate, of course. It's your decision. You have to consider what you want, and what you think is most likely to fly soonest, I guess. But a comment about launch services from those other countries. I don't think N. Korea or Iran can reach orbit reliably, so trying to launch with them would really be buying a lottery ticket. And beyond that, it would not be NASA that would be upset but the US state (I think) department. Satellites fall under ITAR (Internatlional Traffic in Arms Regulations, or something like that), and AMSAT would be in big trouble "exporting" a satellite without way more tons of paperwork than the rocket could lift :-) Probably not even that much paper would get a satellite to N Korea or Iran. Rides to orbit are more difficult now because of ITAR. Check the Amsat Journal archives for articles about it. (I know you are somewhat joking and I'm giving a serious answer...sorry about that...)
Burns, W2BFJ