[amsat-bb] Re: "I hope nobody screws with it"

[Larry Kayser <kayser@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Joe:

"I think it would be safe to say that degradation is the least likely 
method of satellite failure.  There are still many components that can fail 
taking the bird back off the air."

I do not remember you as being around when this was all put together back 
in the early 1970's however  please give us the benefit of what are the 
priority lists for the failure modes most likely for AO-7.  Remember of 
course that AO-7 has had 20+ years to get over the infant mortality for the 
components and the battery is already gone.  The much of the 4000 series 
logic has survived, but Joe tell us the other methods of satellite failure 
you expect and why those components should be expected to fail and when 
they might be expected to fail?

"The "consuming our precious frequencies" is definitely an overrated 
argument. Holding space on our unused frequencies is probably a better 
statement. No one knows when it came back on. It may have been on for a 
week, a month, or more before anyone even noticed. It is not like it pushed 
some other active bird out of the way."

fine, your opinion.

"In general I support the idea regaining control if possible, but the idea 
the satellite is useless or even a menace without control is not very 
sound. AO-10 has been without control for many years, but I would argue it 
has been the most successful of all the amateur communications satellites. 
It has provided more transponder/communications time for amateur use than 
any other satellite by far! I believe it would be safe to say it has 
provided for the most contacts as well."

again, fine, your opinion.  I just wonder of course if AO-10 is still doing 
its derelict thing in 10 years, 25 years, 50 years, or even 100 years if 
everyone going down the line will agree with you...  But then time will 
tell wont it.....

Larry
VA3LK

----
Via the amsat-bb mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org