If we are forgetting about the rocket contest would it not be simpler to toss the camera idea all together too?

The cost for the Russian lunar fly by trip is $100 million per person (Source http://www.spaceadventures.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Lunar.Details). I would be really surprised if they would crack the hatch to toss a satellite and remember that human space flight certification is not simple. Might want to forget that idea too.

If NASA is going to the moon in 2010, AMSAT better have someone submitting proposals to the design team building the landers NOW! It takes about 3-4 years to get through the process and you'll want to be fully integrated instead of a last minute add on that can also be a last minute removal. It will be a much easier road to be part of an unmanned craft. Bob can tell you how much fun it is to certify hardware for a manned space flight. Human spaceflight certification is not simple.

How do you aim the gain antennas once the lander is down? I presume it matters greatly where the lander is on the moon as to how complex the aiming mechanism will be.

As you state, power is the biggest challenge. Need to find that out soon before plans can really move forward.

Too bad we didn't get in on the SELENE project from Japan (http://www.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/selene/index_e.html), we'd be in orbit around the moon now.

Kenneth - N5VHO

-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of MM Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2007 6:47 AM To: Ric Letson, NB2E; amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Moon Missions are possible

Here is my 2-cents.

Forgot about the rocket contest. Building a rocket to fly and land on the moon is beyond most of our capabilities. The amateur radio community has very limited funds and only ~2 million users world wide. My suggestion for getting to the moon is to Piggyback on someone else's rocket. Just like we have been doing for years with Arian and Leo-sat applications. Lets plan on going to the moon without the contest.

NASA is going to the Moon starting in 2010-2015 with Unmanned landers. So, why build a rocket and lander when we can hitch a ride on the NASA lander. Look at all of the money we can save. No rocket, No navigation, No controlled lander. All we have to worry about is getting a cube sat size box to pass the tough nasa flight saftey requirments. And we could have it running in 5 years or less from the moon.

Keep It Simple Details.

Camera: Re-use NASA existing lander cameras and use those to send back to earth a few SSTV or digital images via Amateur Radio. When ever possible, reuse existing hardware, do not redesign the wheel.

Transmitter: A simple Mode B / J Transponder (2 meter and 440), for SSB/CW. Sorry the moon is too far away for FM. We can copy the Analog Transponder circuits for AO-10. The A0-10 satellite is still running when it has good sun, so that proves the concept of the stable Analog circuit. Avoid DSP and complex digital circuits, Radiation will kill them. I chose Mode B and J becaue this is the most popular format, its what the hams want! We do not want GHZ!

Antennas: If possible try to reuse the existing antennas from the Lander. If not, then stuff on a pair of 9 dBd Helix loops.

Power: Here is the hard part. I still do not know what the plans are for providing power to the landers. If it's Nuclear, Great, we will have power for 24/7. Solar panels would work for 14 days per month. If its battery only, we are kaput.

As for the contest, If some billion dollar university wants to take on the project, Great. The ham community can design the transmitter and focus on what we do well and leave the rest to the billion-dollar university.

Other deep space Flights: There are some Russian companies looking into the possibility of Moon-Flyby-Tourist rockets. Tourist can pay $50 million and then fly to the space station. After a few days on the space station, they will then fly to the Moon. They will not land; they will just do a few orbits and then return to earth. Now we will have the opportunity to put ham gear on the Tourist rockets and maybe even toss a ham satellite out the door from Moon Orbit.

73 Miles WF1F

www.marexmg.org

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