Re: [amsat-bb] New AO-27?

[sco@xxxxxxxxxxx]

At 12:41 AM 12/24/2000 , you wrote:
> > PCs get more powerful and less expensive all the time. Why should a ham
>sat
> > cost more?
>
>The electronics in either a geosynchronous or Molniya orbit ham sat are
>getting less and less expensive. However, the cost of the rocket engine,
>fuel, spaceframe, electrical power generation system and launch vehicle
>haven't come down in cost very rapidly at all. The number of satellites
>manufactured is miniscule compared to the numbers of PCs that are
>manufactured.
>
>The only type of satellite to benefit significantly from the manufacturing
>volume of PCs and other personal electronics is a low earth orbit (LEO)
>satellite because it eliminates many of the low-volume "rocket-science"
>components. Launch costs for this this type of satellite have also come down
>recently because the Russians have a lot of old ICBMs to get rid of and they
>are only useful for launching LEOs.

THEN Could we get a LEO bird into a little higher orbit so we have at least 
30-45 minutes on a pass?
This could be either a FM bird [2m up/70cm down] or a SSB/CW sat [that 
could work with the new Ft-817 ???]..

W4SCO


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