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CX2SA > SATDIG 30.08.13 21:15l 688 Lines 25786 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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From: CX2SA@CX2SA.SAL.URY.SA
To : SATDIG@WW
Today's Topics:
1. Yuri's QSL's (R.T.Liddy)
2. Re: High orbit satellites? (Daniel Schultz)
3. Re: High orbit satellites? (M5AKA)
4. Re: High orbit satellites? (Andrew Glasbrenner)
5. Re: High orbit satellites? (Joe)
6. Re: High orbit satellites? (Robert Bruninga)
7. Re: High orbit satellites? (Andrew Glasbrenner)
8. Re: High orbit satellites? (n0jy)
9. Re: High orbit satellites? (Joe Leikhim)
10. Re: High orbit satellites? (n0jy)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Message: 1
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 12:50:24 -0700 (PDT)
From: "R.T.Liddy" <k8bl@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
To: AMSAT BB <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Yuri's QSL's
Message-ID:
<1377805824.1613.YahooMailNeo@xxxxxxxxx.xxxx.xxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
I just rcvd a big batch of? UT1FG/MM QSL's for SAT & 6M QSO's today
from Yuri's QSL Manager!!
?
73/GL,???? Bob K8BL??
?
AMSAT Mbr since 1979
________________________________
------------------------------
Message: 2
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 22:55:54 -0400
From: "Daniel Schultz" <n8fgv@xxx.xxx>
To: <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
Message-ID: <745RHdc334496S01.1377831354@xxxxx.xxx.xxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
In the 1980's era of AO-10 and AO-13, AMSAT was just about the only outfit
interested in launching small satellites, there was no commercial market for
secondary launches, and we got them free or very cheap. In today's world,
every university on Earth is building a Cubesat and commercial and government
organizations are developing real missions around Cubesats. If they gave AMSAT
a free launch today, they would have to give free launches to everybody. That
is the main problem that we have today.
The NASA Cubesat launch initiative is accepting applications for up to a 6U
Cubesat with proposals due in November, it MIGHT be possible to get a launch
to GTO through this program (or it might not be). Can AMSAT design a high
altitude satellite in a 6U Cubesat frame with sufficient solar power
generation and antenna gain to provide a viable ham radio mission in HEO? It
is worth further study over the next two months.
Dan Schultz N8FGV
>Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 23:58:57 -0700
>From: Peter Klein <pklein@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
>To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
>Subject: [amsat-bb] High orbit satellites?
>Message-ID: <521EF131.6080500@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>What are the chances that there will be another high-orbit satellite
>like AO-10 and AO-13? Does AMSAT have any plans in that direction since
>the demise of AO-40? My main satellite interest is live communication
>with faraway places, and I really miss those Molnya birds.
>--Peter, KD7MW
------------------------------
Message: 3
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 11:35:17 +0100 (BST)
From: M5AKA <m5aka@xxxxx.xx.xx>
To: "amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
Message-ID:
<1377858917.97379.YahooMailNeo@xxxxxxxxx.xxxx.xxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> From: Joe <nss@xxx.xxx>
> Iknow kinda radical, but how about working with one of the radical new
> guys on the orbital block, Like the Chinese? or in a few years once they
> get all the bugs worked out, even the North Koreans?
There are a very limited number of organisations that have the capability of
launching payloads into HEO.
The USA, Russian Federation, ESA, India and Beijing can do it but that's it.
Some others can launch very small payloads into very low orbits but that's
all they can do. Very low orbits (e.g. 300 km) are currently of no use to us
(that may change with Ion motor development.
Beijing like the other providers charge market prices for their launches and
launch prices have been steady rising over the last few years because demand
for launches is exceeding supply. It can now cost $100,000 just to get a 1
kg CubeSat into a low 650 km orbit.
It's not just P3E that is affected, KiwiSat, which has a 435/145 linear
transponder, has been built for some time but is sitting on the ground.
Apparently it needs $1 million to get into a launch into a low 650 km orbit.
BTW KiwiSat issued a status update on August 13, you can see it at
http://www.kiwisat.org.nz/status.html
73 Trevor M5AKA
------------------------------
Message: 4
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 08:19:36 -0400
From: Andrew Glasbrenner <glasbrenner@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
To: M5AKA <m5aka@xxxxx.xx.xx>
Cc: "amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxxx <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
Message-ID: <BEE90D34-A0D8-438C-BA66-7682B0E72470@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Add Japan to that list as well.
73, Drew KO4MA
Sent from my iPhone
On Aug 30, 2013, at 6:35 AM, M5AKA <m5aka@xxxxx.xx.xx> wrote:
> The USA, Russian Federation, ESA, India and Beijing can do it but that's it.
------------------------------
Message: 5
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 08:03:49 -0500
From: Joe <nss@xxx.xxx>
To: Jeff Moore <tnetcenter@xxxxx.xxx>, amsat-bb <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
Message-ID: <52209835.7040005@xxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
And or start working on OK can't get ride to High orbit,,, at least get
us to a LEO spot and develop like Ion engines or something so we can
eventually work our way to a high orbit, like with an ION engine, so it
takes a few years to get there because of the low push level, but hey a
few years is decades faster than we are doing now.
Joe WB9SBD
Sig
The Original Rolling Ball Clock
Idle Tyme
Idle-Tyme.com
http://www.idle-tyme.com
On 8/30/2013 1:25 AM, Jeff Moore wrote:
> How about hitting up the new COMMERCIAL launchers like SpaceX??
> Those guys originated as amateur rocketeers. There's others, we may be
> able to wangle a free or donated ride to HEO. The US government isn't
> likely to be viable, they can't even get astronauts to the ISS w/o
> begging a ride from someone else.
>
> Of course, we take a much larger risk in going for a test ride, we
> might want to have a P3F and P3G ready to go just in case.
>
> 7 3
> Jeff Moore -- KE7ACY
> CN94
>
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 29, 2013 at 7:34 AM, Joe <nss@xxx.xxx
> <mailto:nss@xxx.xxx>> wrote:
>
> Iknow kinda radical, but how about working with one of the radical
> new guys on the orbital block, Like the Chinese? or in a few years
> once they get all the bugs worked out, even the North Koreans?
>
> Hey a ride is a ride if they can do it for cheap I don't care.
>
> Joe WB9SBD
> Sig
> The Original Rolling Ball Clock
> Idle Tyme
> Idle-Tyme.com
> http://www.idle-tyme.com
>
>
------------------------------
Message: 6
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 09:05:45 -0400
From: Robert Bruninga <bruninga@xxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
Message-ID: <83c65b13c011d6fa7a26a30011bf6c4e@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Amen,
Just go to the biggest SmallSat conference on earth at the annual AIAA/USU
conference in Utah. Unlike AMSAT, the registration is $600 each, and it
lasts 6 days and all 500 to 1000 attendees are fully into Small Cubesat
like missions. And very expensive instruments. Every space related
Commercial and Governmnet entity is there. A complete industry has grown
up to support this new spearhead of interest and you can buy a VHF/UHF
transceiver board for only $5000. Or a small 4" solar panel for $10,000
or an attitude sensor suite for $8000 or an antenna for $3000 or a chassis
(cubesat) for $5000. Or a complete 3U cubesat for only $250,000.
And everyone of these hundreds of cubesat missions ALL want a cheap ride
to space. Dan is right, the days of free rides is long-long gone because
the demand for paying rides is so high.
Bob, WB4APR
-----Original Message-----
From: amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxx [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxxx On
Behalf Of Daniel Schultz
Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2013 10:56 PM
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
In the 1980's era of AO-10 and AO-13, AMSAT was just about the only outfit
interested in launching small satellites, there was no commercial market
for secondary launches, and we got them free or very cheap. In today's
world, every university on Earth is building a Cubesat and commercial and
government organizations are developing real missions around Cubesats. If
they gave AMSAT a free launch today, they would have to give free launches
to everybody. That is the main problem that we have today.
The NASA Cubesat launch initiative is accepting applications for up to a
6U Cubesat with proposals due in November, it MIGHT be possible to get a
launch to GTO through this program (or it might not be). Can AMSAT design
a high altitude satellite in a 6U Cubesat frame with sufficient solar
power generation and antenna gain to provide a viable ham radio mission in
HEO? It is worth further study over the next two months.
Dan Schultz N8FGV
>Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 23:58:57 -0700
>From: Peter Klein <pklein@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
>To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
>Subject: [amsat-bb] High orbit satellites?
>Message-ID: <521EF131.6080500@xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>What are the chances that there will be another high-orbit satellite
>like AO-10 and AO-13? Does AMSAT have any plans in that direction
>since the demise of AO-40? My main satellite interest is live
>communication with faraway places, and I really miss those Molnya birds.
>--Peter, KD7MW
_______________________________________________
Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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
------------------------------
Message: 7
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 10:21:47 -0400 (GMT-04:00)
From: Andrew Glasbrenner <glasbrenner@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx>
To: Jeff Moore <tnetcenter@xxxxx.xxx>, amsat-bb <amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
Message-ID:
<13423866.1377872507810.JavaMail.root@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx.xxxxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
>On 8/30/2013 1:25 AM, Jeff Moore wrote:
>> How about hitting up the new COMMERCIAL launchers like SpaceX??
>> Those guys originated as amateur rocketeers.
I would hope that folks have a little more faith in AMSAT leadership as far
as exploring opportunities for launches, even if you don't read about every
contact or discussion in ANS or QST.
SpaceX is Elon Musk's company, who founded PayPal and Tesla Motors as well.
He's not an amateur anything; he's one of the most successful businessmen in
the world, a real-life Tony Stark. AMSAT-DL has met with Space-X, and this
fact has been published in many places
(http://amsat.org/pipermail/ans/2010/000378.html). SpaceX rarely launches
pure test flights, they normally have paying customers even on first
launches. Secondary payloads are handled through Spaceflight Services, and
their rates are published at http://spaceflightservices.com/pricing-plans/ .
Fifty kg, or about half of what Eagle would have been, to GTO would cost 3
million dollars. Hey! that's only like $1000 per member! P3E, at 150kg,
would be closer to 8 million, IF it could be made to fit the space
available, and most likely mounted and launched sideways.
Opportunities may still be out there to go to HEO, but it's a fairy tale to
think that all we have to do is knock on the door and ask. It is also
disheartening to see that so many just assume that we aren't trying.
73, Drew KO4MA
------------------------------
Message: 8
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 11:32:35 -0500
From: n0jy <n0jy@xxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
Message-ID: <521F77A3.6030401@xxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
For AMSAT-NA, I believe ITAR prohibits us from pursuing such opportunities.
Jerry
N0JY
On 8/29/2013 9:34 AM, Joe wrote:
> Iknow kinda radical, but how about working with one of the radical new
> guys on the orbital block, Like the Chinese? or in a few years once
> they get all the bugs worked out, even the North Koreans?
>
> Hey a ride is a ride if they can do it for cheap I don't care.
>
> Joe WB9SBD
> Sig
> The Original Rolling Ball Clock
> Idle Tyme
> Idle-Tyme.com
> http://www.idle-tyme.com
> On 8/29/2013 8:40 AM, Paul Stoetzer wrote:
>> We need a very wealthy individual or two to get into the hobby and
>> decide
>> they want to work a HEO! If I were to win the lottery or somehow come
>> into
>> a few tens of millions of dollars, I'd pony up for the launch.
>>
>> Honestly, though, the numbers aren't completely unrealistic. A long and
>> coordinated worldwide fundraising campaign could get it done.
>> However, the
>> website includes the following sentence:
>>
>> "The P3E-satellite should be ready for launch by mid-2007."
>>
>> http://www.p3e-satellite.org/en_EN/amsat.html
>>
>> Who's going to donate to a project when the website hasn't even been
>> updated in over six years? I see it mentioned often that P3E is
>> "essentially ready to go." If that's the case, why not press forward.
>> As a
>> relative newcomer, I'm often frustrated about the lack of updates about
>> anything and websites that are wildly out of date. I know that
>> everyone is
>> a volunteer and busy with other things, but would it be so difficult to
>> send out an update about what's going on once in a while? For example,
>> TurkSat-3USAT was launched back in April. There have been absolutely no
>> updates from anyone about what happened. Obviously the beacon is not
>> transmitting and the transponder is not on, but what happened? Is there
>> hope for recovery? If it has failed, the entire community could benefit
>> from knowledge about what has happened so that similar failures don't
>> happen in the future. Then there is AO-27. The website was last
>> updated in
>> January saying it will be several months before they know if the
>> satellite
>> can be recovered. A quick update would be appreciated, even if it's
>> something like: "Due to time constraints, we haven't been able to
>> attempt
>> recovery."
>>
>> Things like this lead to the perception that this aspect of the hobby is
>> dying. There is very little traffic on this reflector and not too much
>> traffic on other web forums for amateur satellite operation. (See the
>> QRZ
>> forum topic "Is AMSAT dead?") I know there's always a lot going on
>> "behind
>> the scenes," but the lack of conversation and updates about what's
>> going on
>> doesn't really encourage hams to get involved or make donations.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Paul, N8HM
>> Washington, DC
>>
>>
>> On Thu, Aug 29, 2013 at 8:49 AM, Alan <wa4sca@xxxxx.xxx> wrote:
>>
>>> Peter,
>>>
>>> Most of us really miss the old birds. I was transferring satellite
>>> QSOs
>>> from the 1980s through the
>>> early 2000s to my electronic logbook, and was amazed at what I worked.
>>>
>>> AMSAT-DL has an excellent P3 satellite, currently being updated, but
>>> essentially ready to go. Here is
>>> the problem: $5M - $10M launch costs to HEO. Even a super discount
>>> rate
>>> of $1M would be impractical.
>>> In the old days, we could beg, borrow, and barter for launches at
>>> nominal
>>> rates on test flights.
>>> Unfortunately, the launch industry has matured, and can find buyers for
>>> even the smallest spaces and
>>> mass. Sometimes counties can get what I think of as National Prestige
>>> Rates for a first launch, but
>>> those days are largely behind us. Personally, I am confident that
>>> AMSAT-DL will fly their satellite,
>>> but it is clear that future HEOs will be few and far between.
>>>
>>> That is the highly abbreviated answer.
>>>
>>> 73s,
>>>
>>> Alan
>>> WA4SCA
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxx [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@xxxxx.xxxx On
>>> Behalf Of Peter Klein
>>> Sent: Thursday, August 29, 2013 1:59 AM
>>> To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
>>> Subject: [amsat-bb] High orbit satellites?
>>>
>>> What are the chances that there will be another high-orbit satellite
>>> like AO-10 and AO-13? Does AMSAT have any plans in that direction
>>> since
>>> the demise of AO-40? My main satellite interest is live communication
>>> with faraway places, and I really miss those Molnya birds.
>>>
>>> --Peter, KD7MW
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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
>
>
------------------------------
Message: 9
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 20:09:04 -0400
From: Joe Leikhim <rhyolite@xxxxxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
Message-ID: <521FE2A0.10403@xxxxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Fabiano, You beat me to it!
This would be a great idea. The important part would be in the execution.
First identify a launch opportunity, satellite and budget that is real
BEFORE launching a kickstarter. A review of some of the failed Kickstarter
schemes would be important lesson.
When AO40 launched, I was amazed just to be able to receive the 2M
engineering beacon with a Standard C508 portable sitting on my dashboard
WHILE driving!
One of the incentives could be an inexpensive SDR kit designed specifically
to receive and decode telemetry, SSTV images and other data. This could get
the masses interested in the hobby.
For bragging rights, contributors at a higher level would get a Vanity QSL
card or similar vanity image item (for the unlicensed) stored in the bird
and randomly displayed on SSTV or HDTV that could be decoded with the SDR kit.
Make the SDR receiver kit portable and IOS and/or Android compatible and you
have captured the younger demographic.
Maybe some of the radio manufacturers could throw in gear as incentives for
larger donations.
To mis-quote Frank Zappa, AMSAT is not dead, it just smells bad.
Message: 5
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 18:41:44 +0100
From: Fabiano Moser<fabianomoser@xxxxx.xxx>
Cc: amsat-bb<amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx>
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
Message-ID:
<CAM6o-maX=9KaU6mjALYxUtjk_BMNp=+x5M0fvfZ=Q2JETUKFwA@xxxx.xxxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
How manny Amateur Radio whole world can join this Challenge?
What about:
http://www.kickstarter.com
???
--
Joe Leikhim
Leikhim and Associates
Communications Consultants
Oviedo, Florida
JLeikhim@xxxxxxx.xxx
407-982-0446
WWW.LEIKHIM.COM
------------------------------
Message: 10
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 11:20:09 -0500
From: n0jy <n0jy@xxxx.xxx>
To: amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx
Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: High orbit satellites?
Message-ID: <5220C639.9080905@xxxx.xxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
In fact many, many VOLUNTEER hours have been put in by the AMSAT
leadership to get the two launch opportunities we have for Fox-1 and
RadFXSat. You wouldn't believe the work involved. They deserve a big
thank you for getting that done for us!
It would be wonderful to share everything going on "behind the scenes".
To keep everyone updated often, on what the state/progress is.
But for a few reasons, it doesn't quite happen that way...
Number 1 reason the many, many volunteer hours just spent on the project
means that the rest of the time is spent on those things outside the
hobby like a normal person. I mean, how often do any of us sit down and
write a detailed letter to the BB about our AMSAT activities over the
last week or month?
If we had a PIO that could relate the Fox-1 happenings to everyone...
well, everyone would each still have to spend time telling the PIO what
they have been doing! There are a lot of people working just on Fox-1,
scattered all over the United States. I'm sure everyone who has done
weekly status reports knows how fun that is.
Number 2 reason, ITAR.
Perhaps you say well Jerry, you just spent time writing this email...
Then in the same amount of time I could tell you without jeopardizing
the project, AMSAT, or my prison-free existence, after sitting for a few
moments to recall what I did over the last week or two, that I worked on
a lot of system bus changes and their related document updates (the same
Fox-1 documents you read in the 2012 Symposium proceedings) because of
design evolution, I worked on the downlink specification (how we're
going to get all of the wonderful telemetry and pictures to you and our
university partners), I researched and worked on changes to systems
interfaces (design evolution again) and updated those documents, checked
up on requirements tracking (very important to be sure we don't miss
anything), and worked on test procedures. Talked to Tony on the phone,
had an IHU software team conference call. Emailed a lot with other
Fox-1 team members. And yes this took me about 10 minutes to recall and
write here.
Was any of what I said about what I did of interest to this group?
Maybe. Useful information? Not so much. Something you want to hear
about on a regular basis? Probably not, there's not much real value in
what I just said. I doubt that any of us working on the project are
very good at "sound bites". That's not what we get paid* for.
Now add to that the fact it would take more time to relate any of the
details of what I did and even more time to determine what details I
might safely relate in respect to ITAR, writing a letter to the BB or
even an article for the Journal about what just I did becomes quite
frankly, something I don't want to do. And I imagine that holds true
for a lot of us.
I'll be working on Fox-1 some more now but later today I'd like to eat a
snack and play a video game for a bit, then make supper for the XYL and
spend time with her when she gets home from work if you please. Oh and
we have another Fox-1 conference call tomorrow, hope the XYL didn't
already have plans for anything around 11 AM.
Fox-1 is moving ahead on schedule, and there are things of public
interest to share which are documented on the AMSAT web site or in the
ANS. That's all...
I think it would be fair to say that the Fox Team are all as excited and
anxious as you are to get these satellites built and launched! It is
hard work. But I love my job!
Sorry if I wandered off topic, but Drew's comment about having a little
more faith is on target. We have one very dedicated leadership and
group of people volunteering for us.
Jerry
N0JY
*You didn't really think we get paid? There wouldn't be anything left
to pay Martha!
On 8/30/2013 9:21 AM, Andrew Glasbrenner wrote:
>> On 8/30/2013 1:25 AM, Jeff Moore wrote:
>>> How about hitting up the new COMMERCIAL launchers like SpaceX??
>>> Those guys originated as amateur rocketeers.
> I would hope that folks have a little more faith in AMSAT leadership as
far as exploring opportunities for launches, even if you don't read about
every contact or discussion in ANS or QST.
>
> SpaceX is Elon Musk's company, who founded PayPal and Tesla Motors as
well. He's not an amateur anything; he's one of the most successful
businessmen in the world, a real-life Tony Stark. AMSAT-DL has met with
Space-X, and this fact has been published in many places
(http://amsat.org/pipermail/ans/2010/000378.html). SpaceX rarely launches
pure test flights, they normally have paying customers even on first
launches. Secondary payloads are handled through Spaceflight Services, and
their rates are published at http://spaceflightservices.com/pricing-plans/ .
Fifty kg, or about half of what Eagle would have been, to GTO would cost 3
million dollars. Hey! that's only like $1000 per member! P3E, at 150kg,
would be closer to 8 million, IF it could be made to fit the space
available, and most likely mounted and launched sideways.
>
> Opportunities may still be out there to go to HEO, but it's a fairy tale
to think that all we have to do is knock on the door and ask. It is also
disheartening to see that so many just assume that we aren't trying.
>
> 73, Drew KO4MA
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sent via AMSAT-BB@xxxxx.xxx. 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
>
>
------------------------------
_______________________________________________
Sent via amsat-bb@xxxxx.xxx. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
End of AMSAT-BB Digest, Vol 8, Issue 283
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