Going Open Source is the second thing that AMSAT needs to do. The first thing is to learn how to govern the organization in an adult manner without all the petty bickering and name calling of the past couple of months, no matter which group wins the BOD election in a few days.

The more I learn about the secondary launch market as it exists today, the more I must conclude that the only way that we will get a launch to HEO for a satellite large enough to serve our needs will be to buy it on the commercial launch market, and we are talking millions of dollars for that. Since we have no generous Arab royalty on this side of the pond, it did not look very hopeful that some rich benefactor would come to our aid. It still might be too big of an ask, but the days of free satellite launches as "ballast" are far behind us and we better learn to adapt to that reality.

Dan Schultz N8FGV ----------------------------- Michael, W4HIJ, wrote: It appears there are resources out there if AMSAT is willing to do what's necessary to have access to them. I guess the question is what's that involve? Is it simply just going open source or is there more to it than that? Are there other stumbling blocks that they wouldn't be comfortable with for some reason?