Blast from past 12 years ago....the entire thread of course is nearly a rehash of today's. So just the POSITIVE Bits. What happened?
[eagle] Re: what is going on?, some technical content at last.
*Bill Tynan* btynan at beecreek.net mailto:eagle%40amsat.org?Subject=%5Beagle%5D%20Re%3A%20what%20is%20going%20on%3F%2C%20some%20technical%20content%20at%20last.&In-Reply-To=
/Fri Jul 11 07:52:51 PDT 2008/
"Drew, Bob and All:
I have been thinking along the same lines for some time, but being no more than a "Senior Advisor" (geezer) I have not chosen to voice my views widely.
Most hams want linear transponder, high altitude satellites. Very few are yet into digital anything.
Yes, AMSAT should be in the forefront of technology, but to do so, it must be here. To be here, it must have the support (money) of the ham community.
We can still make a very good case for emergency commutations with a spacecraft which is in there 24/7 (Rideshare) even if it is only an analog transponder. With moderate bandwidth, that analog transponder can be used for at least low rate digital communication by ground stations. So, still pictures and medical data can be exchanged through it.
So, let's get to it.
That means fundraising. I have seen very little effort in that direction. Have fat cats been solicited? What about the guy (can't remember his name) who spent $20,000,000 to visit the ISS for a week. It would seem that he is a prime candidate. Has he been contacted?
Has FEMA been solicited re the potential Rideshare offers?
It's up to the AMSAT leadership to make such solicitations.
We raised $2,000,000 here in North America for P3D. We should be able to do it again, despite the AO-40 disaster.
These are my thoughts.
73,
Bill Tynan, W3XO, LM-10 AMSAT President 1991 - 1998"
https://www.amsat.org/pipermail/eagle/2008/001235.html