On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 3:29 PM, Joseph Armbruster josepharmbruster@gmail.com wrote:
Andrew, Is there any type of document around that provides a brief summary of all current Amsat projects and the type of funding / support that is needed for each?
This was my first time at the symposium and I haven't made it through all the pamphlets and papers yet, so forgive me if this was part of the package.
Joe
Hi,
if a gross estimate of $200,000 is needed for a stand-alone cubesat form mission, and there are "... about half are life-members..." of the 3,800 (re: Martha's estimate) of amsat-na members, that means that the average per capita support required from these active amsat-na members would be: $200,000 divided by (50% of 3800) = $200,000 / 1900 = $263 or so.
If $263 is a difficult amount to pay up front, then think of it in 24 monthly installments: $10 each month - not bad for a hobby compared to the price of a decent lunch at Burger King, KFC, Subway etc. The one thing I would need to know is this extra donation tax-exempt or not and would we get a receipt for it in time for U.S. taxes ?
I am willing to pay a bit more than that as my own donation soon for supporting AMSAT-NA sponsored R&D.
-samudra
On Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 2:31 PM, Andrew Glasbrenner < glasbrenner@mindspring.com> wrote:
Thanks for the vote of confidence Jeff. I'll repeat what Bill said; this was a tough decision, but based on reality and part of a larger plan forward. We are also working multiple rideshare opportunities, most of which will likely involve transponders rather than repeaters.
What we really need now is to raise the money we need to start design and construction, and get a launch contract in the works. The 1U cubesat is going to be a short fuse project if we can get the funding raised soon enough.
Barry's presentation at the annual meeting lays out the level of funds we need, approximately 100k this year and again next year, to support the 1U, and one or more rideshares. Our membership dues only cover keeping AMSAT alive and running the office, journal, webstore, etc.
Who'll be among the first to step up and pledge to support this project via the President's Club or other donations? Call Martha today at 1 888 322 6728 or donate via http://www.amsat-na.com/store/category.php?c=President%27s%20Club
73, Drew KO4MA
Jeff Davis wrote:
I want to offer 'hearty congratulations' to the BOD for the courageous decisions made at the recent Space Symposium. I can think of no headline more appropriate and welcome for this organization than the declaration, "We're going back to space".
Perhaps this decision to move forward with what we can do will also be what was needed to get the manufacturers to quit sitting on their hands and INNOVATE!
How many threads have been spawned on this BB by someone asking the question "what handheld should I buy to use AO-51"..?
The fact that the pat answer is that there aren't any - you need to check eBay for a 20 year-old model speaks pitifully of the ham radio marketplace in the 21st century.
Given the nature of LEO, portable operations are very common and going forward, will be even more so. Who among us wouldn't love a mobile sized transceiver that sported true simultaneous dual-band (VHF/UHF) operation and a continuously tunable VFO on FM in a 'satellite operation mode'?
What would it be worth if that radio also could record all pass data - and had a USB port that supported a memory stick so that everything received during a pass could stored on it for offline extraction and study later when you're back in the shack. It wouldn't even require an internal TNC to download telemetry data - the audio file could simply be played back (offline) on a PC and the telemetry decoded there.
There are bound to be hundreds of similar ideas and dreams of new gear, antennas, and interesting things to do at LEO - let's populate the BB with these sorts of things and look forward, not back.
I'm more than ready to turn to a new chapter and get back to shaping the future of ham radio in space.
Aren't you?
73 de Jeff, KE9V AMSAT-NA 28350 _______________________________________________ Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
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Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb