The AMSAT India newsletter has some great news: their proposal for Hamsat II requests that ISRO provide an elliptical or MEO orbit! Moreover, they're also asking for space on a geosynchronous bird. I suppose the latter would not necessarily benefit those of us in North America, but it would provide a fine emergency service to Asian regions and provide a pioneering example for other AMSAT groups.
73, Bruce VE9QRP
We should be ashamed of ourselves in NA and Europe for not having figured out the key to unlock the door, but having been there until my retirement from active office holder, I can tell you it was not for lack of trying.
We have an essentially COMPLETE Phase 3E sitting on the shelf, looking for a way to get up. We had a ride to geo with the outstreched hand waiting for O(10^7) dollars. We need to either break the logjam or start sending money to AMSAT India if this will get the job done.
My real fear is the singular lack of experience in dealing with propulsion, attitude control WITHOUT propulsion at in HEO, and Van Allen radiation belts. I would be happy to tell them all about it except the BLOODY Itar rules that have not stopped a single adversary from getting the technology they need, has truly magnified the cost and difficulty of export our satellites (so others build them instead), would send me to jail for helping.
Bob N4HY
Bruce Robertson wrote:
The AMSAT India newsletter has some great news: their proposal for Hamsat II requests that ISRO provide an elliptical or MEO orbit! Moreover, they're also asking for space on a geosynchronous bird. I suppose the latter would not necessarily benefit those of us in North America, but it would provide a fine emergency service to Asian regions and provide a pioneering example for other AMSAT groups.
73, Bruce VE9QRP _______________________________________________ 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
The current administration seems to have given some consideration to relaxing the ITAR Satellite rules...
http://rescommunis.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/obama-itar-reform-could-move-sat ellites-back-to-commerce/
Perhaps we should join the U.S. space hardware makers who have complained about lost market opportunities and allow them to put forward that a "World Friendly" educational satellite could set the stage as a "test case" for trying loosened restrictions.
We would need a lobbyist though, as the current rule making bodies don't seem to have a lot of Hams in them
Roger WA1KAT
----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob McGwier" rwmcgwier@gmail.com To: "Bruce Robertson" ve9qrp@gmail.com Cc: "AMSAT-BB" amsat-bb@amsat.org Sent: Sunday, August 02, 2009 1:04 PM Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Indian high-orbit satellite?
We should be ashamed of ourselves in NA and Europe for not having figured out the key to unlock the door, but having been there until my
We have an essentially COMPLETE Phase 3E sitting on the shelf, looking for a way to get up. We had a ride to geo with the outstreched hand waiting for O(10^7) dollars.
the BLOODY Itar rules that have not stopped a single adversary
from getting the technology they need, has truly magnified the cost and difficulty of export our satellites (so others build them instead), would send me to jail for helping.
Bob N4HY
On Sun, Aug 2, 2009 at 2:04 PM, Bob McGwierrwmcgwier@gmail.com wrote:
We should be ashamed of ourselves in NA and Europe for not having figured out the key to unlock the door, but having been there until my retirement from active office holder, I can tell you it was not for lack of trying.
You have, of course, more front-line experience in this question than I, Bob, but I tend to analyze the situation in a manner that avoids shame on anyone's part. As I see it, Indian hams are in the position USA hams were in during the 70s: they have a launch program that is not fully market-driven, and a launch agency which sees its role in part as promoting the dignity of the country. In these circumstances, assisting an effort like AMSAT India makes sense to government, etc. And just as the rest of the ham world expressed its gratitude and admiration of the US in the 70's, so we should express our gratitude and admiration for India today. (Which is easy to do, given their excellent achievements so far.)
We have an essentially COMPLETE Phase 3E sitting on the shelf, looking for a way to get up. We had a ride to geo with the outstreched hand waiting for O(10^7) dollars. We need to either break the logjam or start sending money to AMSAT India if this will get the job done.
Under the circumstances as described above, AMSAT-DL is playing a pretty nice hand, I think, by tying 3E with the Mars project and appealing to the research interests of the country. I agree that should AMSAT India mount a fund-raising campaign, it would be an attractive proposition for hams who are hoping to find more communications satellites in orbit.
My real fear is the singular lack of experience in dealing with propulsion, attitude control WITHOUT propulsion at in HEO, and Van Allen radiation belts. I would be happy to tell them all about it except the BLOODY Itar rules that have not stopped a single adversary from getting the technology they need, has truly magnified the cost and difficulty of export our satellites (so others build them instead), would send me to jail for helping.
This is frustrating, and I think it is great that AMSAT is getting out from under all this, with any luck in time for ITAR to be relaxed under the new US administration. However, I think the most important thing we can do is ensure that this effort will provide ISRO and India in general with ample positive response from around the globe. I know that is what our government would hope for in Canada if we were able to mount a project like this locally.
73, Bruce VE9QRP
Bob N4HY
Bruce Robertson wrote:
The AMSAT India newsletter has some great news: their proposal for Hamsat II requests that ISRO provide an elliptical or MEO orbit! Moreover, they're also asking for space on a geosynchronous bird. I suppose the latter would not necessarily benefit those of us in North America, but it would provide a fine emergency service to Asian regions and provide a pioneering example for other AMSAT groups.
73, Bruce VE9QRP _______________________________________________ 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
-- (Co)Author: DttSP, Quiktrak, PowerSDR, GnuRadio Member: ARRL, AMSAT, AMSAT-DL, TAPR, Packrats, NJQRP, QRP ARCI, QCWA, FRC. "You don't need to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.", MLK. Twitter:rwmcgwier Active: Facebook,Myspace,LinkedIn
Some people misread my poor prose as blaming Europe and NA for ITAR. I was commenting on Hamsat II requesting HEO and if they get a ride from ISRO, it will be good for amateur radio but reflects badly on the rest of us who have had multiple programs over more than a decade with no success at all to show for it.
ONLY THEN do I introduce ITAR and indeed, the USA is 100% culpable for this mess. But what do you expect from a country that elects a chimp mime of his handlers twice?
Bob
Bob McGwier wrote:
We should be ashamed of ourselves in NA and Europe for not having figured out the key to unlock the door, but having been there until my retirement from active office holder, I can tell you it was not for lack of trying.
We have an essentially COMPLETE Phase 3E sitting on the shelf, looking for a way to get up. We had a ride to geo with the outstreched hand waiting for O(10^7) dollars. We need to either break the logjam or start sending money to AMSAT India if this will get the job done.
My real fear is the singular lack of experience in dealing with propulsion, attitude control WITHOUT propulsion at in HEO, and Van Allen radiation belts. I would be happy to tell them all about it except the BLOODY Itar rules that have not stopped a single adversary from getting the technology they need, has truly magnified the cost and difficulty of export our satellites (so others build them instead), would send me to jail for helping.
Bob N4HY
Bruce Robertson wrote:
The AMSAT India newsletter has some great news: their proposal for Hamsat II requests that ISRO provide an elliptical or MEO orbit! Moreover, they're also asking for space on a geosynchronous bird. I suppose the latter would not necessarily benefit those of us in North America, but it would provide a fine emergency service to Asian regions and provide a pioneering example for other AMSAT groups.
73, Bruce VE9QRP _______________________________________________ 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
----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruce Robertson" ve9qrp@gmail.com
The AMSAT India newsletter has some great news: their proposal for Hamsat II requests that ISRO provide an elliptical or MEO orbit! Moreover, they're also asking for space on a geosynchronous bird. I suppose the latter would not necessarily benefit those of us in North America, but it would provide a fine emergency service to Asian regions and provide a pioneering example for other AMSAT groups.
I agree - something's needed, I'm noticing a drop in activity on the regular satellites, MEO would be a big boost.
Maybe there could be something from China or Russia in the next years?
Simon Brown, HB9DRV www.ham-radio-deluxe.com
Bruce. I was impressed as well (and have been for sometime reading the newsletter...and having been in India off and on over the last 10 years in aviation related matters).
The folks there (both on a ham radio basis and some other things) seem to recall a lesson we have forgotten here...keep it simple ...you dont see any gee whiz stuff on their birds...just solid transponders. Indian aerospace seems to be a pleasant mix of "Russian" practicality and American perfection...at least so far
Robert WB5MZO
Date: Sun, 2 Aug 2009 13:38:39 -0300 From: ve9qrp@gmail.com To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Indian high-orbit satellite?
The AMSAT India newsletter has some great news: their proposal for Hamsat II requests that ISRO provide an elliptical or MEO orbit! Moreover, they're also asking for space on a geosynchronous bird. I suppose the latter would not necessarily benefit those of us in North America, but it would provide a fine emergency service to Asian regions and provide a pioneering example for other AMSAT groups.
73, Bruce VE9QRP _______________________________________________ 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
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participants (5)
-
Bob McGwier -
Bruce Robertson -
Rocky Jones -
Roger Kolakowski -
Simon (HB9DRV)