Very good point. We think that there are no rides to orbit because all the current launch vehicles are 'mature technology' that do not need testing and therefore do not need passengers that pay a reduced fee while accepting more risk. However, just 2 weeks ago we had the launch from Kodiak Alaska dropping off a number of satellites at 650 km. Then carrying out a test of a modified upper stage booster which went on to 1200km where it deposited 2 items of "Ballast"

Enough to make you cry !

David G0MRF

In a message dated 30/11/2010 18:20:49 GMT Standard Time, sparkycivic@shaw.ca writes:

This has me wondering if there are opportunities for co-launch, tethered power supply sharing or upper-stage rocket-body piggybacking of Ham and educational communication payloads....... our price per Kg could be REALLY attractive given that they're launching four 700Kg birds PER launch! How much fun could we have with a triple cube at these heights? Passes would be visible for over an hour at a time... Cali could work the Gold Coast and JA's at the same time!