Re: [amsat-bb] I have an idea. Please read

[Roy Welch <rdwelch@xxxxxxxxxx>]

What would be the area of coverage?  Who gets to use it?  How many would
you have to build to get the support of this group?  I don't know what the
cost of the project would be, but I imagine the cost/user ratio would be
rather high.

Keith Randino wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> This is my response to everyone as best as I can for now. Check out the web
> page listed below. This aircraft flew in 1998. It is expected to fly at
> 100,000 feet with a 600 pound payload for 6 months at a time. This definetly
> can be done. As with any engineering project, knowing that it has already
> been done always makes things easier. Now we need to see if we have an
> interest in doing it. The technology is available off the shelf albeit new
> and expensive. We would need to find ways to cut corners and make it
> cheaper. The advantages of this over a balloon launch is that it could stay
> over the same area for months at a time It could also be landed and
> relaunched and set up for a different mission, to another place, or just to
> make repairs and do routine maintainance. I also believe that you could link
> them and create a huge area coverage repeater system. I don't need to go
> into all the things that this could do or be used for. I think that there is
> enough imagination on this board for that. What we need to do is figure out
> if we have the will to do it as we did with P3D.
> 
> http://www.aerovironment.com/news/news-archive/helios1.html
> 
> By the way, I haven't discounted the possiblity of a dirigable type device
> with solar powered motors performing the same job. With appropriate devices
> for allowing it to stay at a certain altitude (again above 60000 feet) over
> the same basic location. Much cheaper and maybe a better way to start. It
> may be more difficult to keep this on station though.
> 
> Respectfully,
> Keith
> N1XTK
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Belstner <john.belstner@home.com>
> To: Keith Randino <krandino@snet.net>
> Date: Saturday, June 10, 2000 1:13 AM
> Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] I have an idea. Please read
> 
> >Greetings,
> >
> >What you're proposing is not too much different from some of the balloon
> >projects; just adding the element of controlled flight.  Unfortunately, I
> >believe the power required to generate the lift necessary to keep a winged
> craft
> >in flight at 60000 ft is more than what could be obtained from solar
> charged
> >batteries.  Some examples of craft that can fly at those altitudes are the
> U2
> >and the SR71.  Both planes must travel at extremely high speeds to get
> enough
> >air flow across their wings to maintain controlled flight.
> >
> >One of the advantages of leaving the atmosphere (LEO) is that there is very
> >little drag, so only small periodic expenditures of energy are required to
> keep
> >the craft flying.
> >
> >Keep that mind ticking Keith.  You may find solutions to these issues.
> >
> >73s
> >
> >John Belstner - W9EN
> >mailto:w9en@amsat.org
> >
> >Keith Randino wrote:
> >
> >> I have been thinking now for several months about a plan that I have.
> >> I am posting it on this board because I believe that much of the
> expertise
> >> needed for a project like this resides on this board. This is not
> completely
> >> flushed out but I believe that it is certainly something that could be
> done
> >> and
> >> is technically possible and probably should be  done. Here goes. I have
> been
> >> considering the possiblilty that this group or a derivative should try to
> >> launch a solar
> >> power aircraft with battery backup that would spend its time slowly
> circling
> >> around an
> >> area above 60000 feet with FM repeater equipment on board. I believe the
> >> expense
> >> of such a project would be several orders of magnitude cheaper than a
> >> satelite system
> >> and launch. It could be brought back down for repairs or different
> missions
> >> setups and be
> >> relaunched just like any remotely piloted vehicle. It would have a huge
> >> ground
> >> footprint and several of them could be linked to cover vast distances and
> >> huge areas. I
> >> believe that the FAA doesn't care much about what happens above 60000
> feet
> >> and that would
> >> allow us to do just about whatever we wanted to above that altitude. I
> have
> >> not
> >> researched this entirely nor have I checked what the FCC regulations are
> >> that are involved.
> >> I believe that whatever they are they would be surmountable. I am not
> >> glossing over the
> >> technical challenges either. The air is quite thin at these altitudes and
> >> the technical challenges
> >> would be considerable but the rewards would also be significant. Please
> let
> >> me know what
> >> you think about this. I welcome any replies. I know that a lot of work
> would
> >> be needed but I
> >> really think that a system like this would have substantial rewards.
> >> Everything from emergency
> >> communications to APRS and digital not to mention GPS, SSTV, real time
> >> video,
> >> automatic navigation and more could be involved. While this is not
> entirely
> >> flushed out I do know
> >> more than I am writting about now. I just want to see what the comments
> are
> >> and if this
> >> has any interest to anyone.
> >>
> >> Thanks for reading this,
> >> 73,
> >> Keith
> >> N1XTK
> >>
> >> ----
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> >
> 
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-- 
73, Roy

Internet: w0sl@amsat.org
Home Page: http://home.swbell.net/rdwelch
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