Greetings,
First of all, I appreciate the efforts of the dedicated few of AMSAT that actually go out and make things happen. You don't hear "Thank you" often enough.
Being this early in the idea phase, there are a lot of questions and unknowns. What frequencies to use and what the link requirements will be can all be worked out.
The bigger question for me is if the moon is a good platform for an amateur transponder. No doubt it is technically doable. If the decision is based only on launch availability--It's the moon or nothing at all--then to the moon we go. But let's all understand what we are getting into.
To the best of my knowledge, NASA does not now have an unmanned lunar lander mission that has been approved, although there is a lander planned in the greater scheme of things. Perhaps someone could direct me to some current information.
The last I knew, the plan called for a lander referred to as RLEP-2. It was going to be a lander/rover powered by RTG's with a 1 year mission to explore Shackleton crater near the moon's south pole. The cost was going to be in the $400-$750 million range. The launch vehicle was going to have excess capacity so it was proposed that 3-4 mini satellites be deployed in lunar orbit to do remote sensing AND provide a communication link for the lander.
So, if this is the mission we are talking about putting our transponder on, it sounds like we won't hear it on earth once the rover drives into the crater. Putting our transponder on one of the mini satellites sounds like a better plan.
Again, I had difficulty finding current information on NASA's unmanned lunar lander plans. The last I read anything about RLEP-2 was that it was in serious trouble because of cost and was going to be sharply cut back.
If our NASA host spacecraft will take care of all the housekeeping and provided free power, then a low cost transponder sounds like something we can do (although AMSAT-NA currently does not have a satellite lab--we may need to contract out the transponder work). We just need to understand we will not have control of the on/off switch (the repeater on the ISS or the Planetary Society's microphone on the Mars Phoenix lander for example).
The days of getting a free launch is over, and it is too bad the Intelsat ride share idea did not pan out for us. As I have said before, I am not opposed to a transponder on the moon, I just have a lot of unanswered questions.
Thanks again to the dedicated few at AMSAT that make things happen.
Armando, N8IGJ
Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 18:14:59 -0700 (PDT) From: MM ka1rrw@yahoo.com Subject: [amsat-bb] Moon can cost less than HEO/GEO To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Message-ID: 228402.31352.qm@web56404.mail.re3.yahoo.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
High orbit launch prices
I can?t afford that and I do not know anyone at Huges, so I am looking into the piggyback options. Let some other company pay the big bucks for the flight >and navigation and just tag along for the ride.
The thing is we have 'discussed' this a FEW times in the past and the ideas get better each time plus the technical discussion gets more information input each time.
Maybe this time things will progress beyond the talking and more into the planning/design phase.
James W8ISS
I agree on the Lunar X Prize, http://www.googlelunarxprize.org/ There are 19 teams so far in the chase,
why do we not contact every one of them with the proposal?
there is 30 million purse there a waiting.
we could even say give us the ride and they can keep the prize
Joe WB9SBD
Armando Mercado wrote:
Greetings,
First of all, I appreciate the efforts of the dedicated few of AMSAT that actually go out and make things happen. You don't hear "Thank you" often enough.
Being this early in the idea phase, there are a lot of questions and unknowns. What frequencies to use and what the link requirements will be can all be worked out.
The bigger question for me is if the moon is a good platform for an amateur transponder. No doubt it is technically doable. If the decision is based only on launch availability--It's the moon or nothing at all--then to the moon we go. But let's all understand what we are getting into.
To the best of my knowledge, NASA does not now have an unmanned lunar lander mission that has been approved, although there is a lander planned in the greater scheme of things. Perhaps someone could direct me to some current information.
The last I knew, the plan called for a lander referred to as RLEP-2. It was going to be a lander/rover powered by RTG's with a 1 year mission to explore Shackleton crater near the moon's south pole. The cost was going to be in the $400-$750 million range. The launch vehicle was going to have excess capacity so it was proposed that 3-4 mini satellites be deployed in lunar orbit to do remote sensing AND provide a communication link for the lander.
So, if this is the mission we are talking about putting our transponder on, it sounds like we won't hear it on earth once the rover drives into the crater. Putting our transponder on one of the mini satellites sounds like a better plan.
Again, I had difficulty finding current information on NASA's unmanned lunar lander plans. The last I read anything about RLEP-2 was that it was in serious trouble because of cost and was going to be sharply cut back.
If our NASA host spacecraft will take care of all the housekeeping and provided free power, then a low cost transponder sounds like something we can do (although AMSAT-NA currently does not have a satellite lab--we may need to contract out the transponder work). We just need to understand we will not have control of the on/off switch (the repeater on the ISS or the Planetary Society's microphone on the Mars Phoenix lander for example).
The days of getting a free launch is over, and it is too bad the Intelsat ride share idea did not pan out for us. As I have said before, I am not opposed to a transponder on the moon, I just have a lot of unanswered questions.
Thanks again to the dedicated few at AMSAT that make things happen.
Armando, N8IGJ
Date: Thu, 2 Jul 2009 18:14:59 -0700 (PDT) From: MM ka1rrw@yahoo.com Subject: [amsat-bb] Moon can cost less than HEO/GEO To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Message-ID: 228402.31352.qm@web56404.mail.re3.yahoo.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
High orbit launch prices
I can?t afford that and I do not know anyone at Huges, so I am looking into the piggyback options. Let some other company pay the big bucks for the flight >and navigation and just tag along for the ride.
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.3/2216 - Release Date: 07/03/09 05:53:00
participants (3)
-
Armando Mercado -
James French -
Joe