Both AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-DL have determined that a launch opportunity won't just appear. When you're paying for the launch, you can pick the flight to ride on. I don't see any need to build flight hardware in advance because launch authority web sites show that you must schedule at least 18-24 months in advance. I'd assume that there will be similar lead times when riding along in someone else's satellite. What seems most useful now is research into how to make the most efficient use of a very expensive platform in space.
73,
John KD6OZH
----- Original Message ----- From: "ANTHONY JAPHA" tjjapha@earthlink.net To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Thursday, July 17, 2008 18:29 UTC Subject: [amsat-bb] Torture
My sense is that if the outlook for resources is that we'll have enough for everything except the launch, then we should get Eagle and/or the Intelsat thing ready as fast as prudently possible. Everyone--designers, builders, Board, membership at large-- will have a great sense of achievement. Then, if it comes to naught, we'll all know that we did what we could. As it stands, it seems it would take a great deal of time--years-- to be ready even if a launch opportunity appeared. But then again, I'm not at all sure of that, because for information we have available is, well, woefully inadequate.