Good point. Not everybody is interested in monitoring the one way downlinks on the majority of these more recent birds. Why is it that there is no problem getting large numbers of these types of satellites into orbit, yet good old fashioned two way linear and FM transponder birds are relatively far and few between?

Regards and 73, James - ZL4JM/VK5JC

Well, after the launch of AO-51 here in the U.S., the AMSAT membership seemed to think that they should concentrate their efforts on a HEO launch. The problem is that there really aren't any viable launch options for HEO satellites. We aren't alone either: P3E is considerably further along than any of the AMSAT-NA projects, and yet has no hint of how it might get boosted to orbit.

Cubesats are being launched for one simple reason: people have figured out how to fund low mass sats to low earth orbit. We could probably launch a couple dozen LEO cubesats (or more) for what it would cost to put just one payload into HEO, but nobody seems to really be interested in doing that, since it won't give anyone the DX that they want. I think there have been some interesting developments in micro propulsion technologies, but it is still challenging to get a cubesat in orbit that can serve as a transponder within the weight and space limitations that cubesats have.

Perhaps when commercial vehicles like the Falcon 9 begin launching, we'll see a sufficient reduction in payload boosting costs to make raising the money for a HEO satellite with significant mass reasonable. We shall have to see.

Mark K6HX