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CX2SA > SAT 30.12.07 23:18l 121 Lines 5373 Bytes #999 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS-357.05
Read: GUEST
Subj: President's report
Path: IZ3LSV<IW2OAZ<IV3SCP<SR1BSZ<ON4HU<F4BWT<I0TVL<ON0AR<7M3TJZ<CX2SA
Sent: 071223/1709Z @:CX2SA.LAV.URY.SA #:27243 [Minas] FBB7.00e $:ANS-357.05
From: CX2SA@CX2SA.LAV.URY.SA
To : SAT@AMSAT
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 357.05
From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
December 23, 2007
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-357.05
President's Report From the 2007 AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting
2007 Symposium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Over the past year AMSAT has developed a well-defined mission and
vision for an exciting future of amateur radio in space. In fact,
some of the items we have discussed here at the Symposium may perhaps
become known as the weekend that changed amateur radio.
In response to input from the members, AMSAT's Board of Directors
and Officers have undertaken a clearly defined Mission and Vision
of our current and on-going work:
AMSAT's Mission Statement
+ AMSAT designs, builds and operates experimental satellites and
promotes space education as a non-profit, volunteer organization.
+ AMSAT develops and fosters partnerships with government, industry,
educational institutions and fellow amateur radio societies.
+ AMSAT leads the way on technical and scientific innovation.
+ AMSAT develops and fosters an environment encouraging the
training and development of designers and operators.
AMSAT's Vision Statement
+ AMSAT will deploy high earth orbit (HEO) satellites, initially
with daily coverage, evolving to continuous coverage.
+ AMSAT will participate in human space missions.
+ AMSAT will support a stream of LEO satellites which are developed
in cooperation with the educational community and other amateur
satellite groups.
The New Reality
Going forward, we are realizing a new reality of the future of Amateur
Radio in space. There is a distinct shift away from the aegis of
government/military sponsored spaceflight to a field that will be
more and more driven by commercial consideration. This development
signifies that space missions will become driven by a business-case
model. While our new missions will provide great new services to the
Amateur Radio community, we cannot afford to pay millions for them.
The reality is that no one will pay for more "toys" for us to play
with. To gain the funding necessary our missions must excite the
funding sources. AMSAT will be required to fit into the business-case
models of just about every launch opportunity we wish to pursue in
the future.
Your Board of Directors and Officers have identified two key areas which
capture the attention and imagination of potential funding sources:
+ Education - The Phase IV geosynchronous satellite will enable
TDRS-like support of ARISS. Ten minute school contacts will grow
to hours-long contact with the Space Station. We are working on
an expanded curriculum with the ARISS and NASA teams. We are
planning the establishment of the AMSAT Institute which will
train educators to bring space into the classroom using AMSAT's
Phase IV facilities in conjunction with ARISS.
+ Emergency Communications - The Advanced Communications Payload
is being co-developed as spaceflight and ground station gear
available for rapid deployment or pre-positioning into disaster
areas to provide 365/24/7 communication capability. This proposal
is gaining some attention within the Homeland Security organization.
AMSAT's Current Development Plans
Consistent with our Vision Statement we are continuing development of
Phase III satellites. Budget and staffing for the Eagle satellite will
continue for 2007-2008.
AMSAT-NA is contributing staff and money toward completing AMSAT-DL's
Phase 3 Express Satellite in 2008. AMSAT-NA teamed with AMSAT-UK to
donate 25,000 Euros to AMSAT-DL for the completion of P3E.
Phase IV is not a replacement program at the expense of Phase III. The
same transponder gear already in development for Eagle and P3E remains
applicable to Phase IV. The new commercial launch reality mentioned
previously indicates we may actually be able to be launched earlier
to a high orbit if we fit into the Intelsat ride sharing model. We
need to be ready for this event.
Phase IV will enable AMSAT to concentrate more fully on the development
of space communications. The Intelsat platform will provide hundreds
of watts of power for 15 years eliminating the need for AMSAT to provide
solar cells, it will perform the station keeping and earth pointing
tasks, internal housekeeping will be simplified.
Once we have shown funding sources what AMSAT is capable of additional
launch opportunities will arise. Intelsat can drop off sub-payloads
into LEO, GTO, or GEO orbits on their way to their primary mission.
There are more doors open to the future if we realize and pursue the
new reality.
I invite you join AMSAT's exciting future. As we recognize and work
within the new reality of commercial spaceflight we will provide
exciting new services for amateur radio, emergency preparedness, and
education. The side effect of developing "services" will be that we
still gain what everyone is asking - high orbit transponders for us
to use and enjoy. AMSAT is to satellites what the Wright brothers
were to flight. We are "Amateur" only in the sense that we are not
paid in much the same sense that Olympic athletes are "Amateurs."
73,
Rick Hamly, W2GPS
President, AMSAT-NA
[ANS thanks Rick, W2GPS for the above information]
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