While the opportunity to ride share on a GEO sat is probably our best chance at a HEO transponder, it is still a very slim chance in my opinion. I have worked in the commercial satellite industry for over 25 years and the most valuable piece of real estate in existence is located in the Clark Belt. Commercial satellites are very much a "for profit" business and every watt of power and ounce of weight has a dollar value beyond comprehension. Even if we offered to pay our share of weight and power, it would not be enough because the loss of return on investment for the non revenue generating "hitch hiker" must be factored in as well. I now work for a subsidiary of the second largest satellite operator in the world who is expanding their business to offer "hosted payloads" to customers who want to orbit specialized payloads without having to launch their own satellite. One of my co-workers was invited to participate in a meeting of the group working on this offering. When I found out, I suggested he bring up the idea of launching a very small amateur payload as a demonstration of the great utility that can be achieved with a very small, cost effective payload. He did and the response was "You mean for free ?" He was never invited back. If we want to get on a commercial sat, we need to have something to "sell", i.e. a good reason for them to orbit something that may help them generate revenues in the near future. I can say with reasonable confidence that an analog bent pipe transponder will not be very interesting. Something along the lines of the Advanced Communications Package might. Even though I was not a big fan, the P-25 over satellite might be another good one if we could prove a good scenario. If we want a ride into HEO, we need to earn it.
Howie AB2S
All good points but forget the HEO's for now - we just need a good source of regularly launched easy sats in LEO to augment the few working birds we have and replace what we have to as they fall out of the sky or just stop working.
God forbid they all got hit by debris and all failed but if that happened, what would we do ? Still be harping on about AO-40 and whining on about getting another HEO up there!
It will happen (maybe not in my lifetime :-D ) but the LEO's must be maintained as that is where we get our source of newcomers from, the new AMSAT members who will not fork out the thick end of a large amount of wedge for an HEO that might or might not get up there!
Just my two rupees worth
I have to disagree in the strongest of terms about disregarding HEOs "for now" which in essence will mean to become forever. Until, or unless, we could come up with something along the lines of a "Cell" system of leos, we are missing one of the major advantages of Satellites and that is almost guaranteed communications for long periods (several hours) at a time... I am in no way denigrating LEOs as they have their place, but in the major schema of things HEOS will and always have rule given the state of communications art...
I understand the desire to "do something" but I suggest that the major thrust should be directed at getting a transponder on the moon (or Mars) or some more KISS type HEOs up... Cubesats can take care of themselves if we do, Heck I would even join in and participate in something like I just mentioned, I just can not get excited about "Contest style" contacts with a 5-12 min window most of the time... I do that on 2 meters scatter all I want,
DE Jack - KD1PE
----- Original Message ----- From: "David - KG4ZLB" kg4zlb@googlemail.com To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 4:09 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Unused sats
All good points but forget the HEO's for now - we just need a good source of regularly launched easy sats in LEO to augment the few working birds we have and replace what we have to as they fall out of the sky or just stop working.
----- Original Message ----- From: "David - KG4ZLB" kg4zlb@googlemail.com To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 2009 4:09 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Unused sats
All good points but forget the HEO's for now
That's exactly the worse choice IMHO and it is exactly what our German friend choose to don't do. They remain focused on their target P3E its the way to go but if AMSAT-NA want to go on the cubes side? It will at least not duplicate the resources. I am still in favour on an international HEO joint venture it's the only logical way to go...
"-"
Luc Leblanc VE2DWE Skype VE2DWE www.qsl.net/ve2dwe WAC BASIC CW PHONE SATELLITE
Hi Folks,
Just a reminder about the AMSAT-UK Colloquium on Sat/Sun 25/26 July. The hotel will stop holding our rooms after tomorrow (Fri 3 July), so it would be best to book over the next 48 hrs to be sure of a room being available.
The easiest way to do this is to phone the hotel on +44 (0) 1483 784444 and quote reference R0F (That's R zero F).
I understand that the hotel will still have rooms available after tomorrow, but if you book after then, availability is not guaranteed!
73 Jim G3WGM Hon Sec AMSAT-UK www.uk.amsat.org
participants (5)
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David - KG4ZLB -
Howie -
Jack K. -
Jim Heck -
Luc Leblanc