Re: [amsat-bb] eagle costs

[sco@xxxxxxxxxxx]

$3,000,000 ???
Is that what it would have cost to put ECHO up into an AO40 style orbit?
Is that the minimum price to an AO40 orbit?
What would be the minimum cost to an AO40 orbit or to an RS12/15 style orbit?
If that cost would be $1,000,000 vs $3,000,000 then we need to rethink the 
design of the next satellite. Or could the cost come down to $500,000 to 
$750,000 ?

How much will P3E cost to build and launch?  $3,000,000  or less???

I assume there are basically 3 styles of orbits; LEO, RS15, and AO40 types. 
A LEO orbit (ECHO) cost us $110,000. What would a RS15 orbit cost? AO40 
anyone (assuming no or limited motor)?

If we are going for a DX satellite i think we need to save as much money 
and time as possible to build and launch it and let the ground stations 
invest the money to work it. Those with AO40 type stations should be able 
to work whatever we build and launch in the future.
I think U/S and L/S would be the way to go. Have two S band transmitters 
(for backup).  Have U and L band receivers and a third receiver dedicated 
for control. This would give us the ability to have U/S and L/S QSOs at the 
same time.

Whatever we build and launch should compliment P3E (in turns of coverage 
areas and times) so we will soon have two good DX satellites in orbit. In 
other words it would make no sense at all to have them both over Atlanta at 
the same time. Lets make it so one is visible in the morning and the other 
in the evening or one is here Friday and the other is here on Sat or 
Sunday. Then whenever we get a third DX satellite one could be overhead in 
the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. or one on Friday, 
one on Sat, and one on Sunday, etc. etc.

W4SCO

At 01:53 PM 9/3/2004, you wrote:
>Hi All,
>    having read the latest journal and taking note of Robins 
> "guesstimate"  of
>the 3 million dollar price tag of EAGLE, I had to wonder that if we cant
>raise 110k for ECHO how are we possibly going to do this?
>
>    I can only hope that cheaper launch possibilities are being persued or 
> that
>we might luck out a get a discounted or free ride from our non-profit
>status...
>
>   Another possibility is that everyone at a minimum joins up and becomes a
>member if they are not already one and would consider making a donation on
>top of their membership.
>
>    I'm not sure that Robins suggestion of making the membership fees $150
>would fly very far...  but the point is taken... if you want a sat the money
>has to come from somewhere.....
>
>   The only other alternative would be to downsize Eagle with maybe just mode
>L/S and drop anything else off, (I picked that mode since a lot of people
>already have  the mode S equipment from ao40 and L up was becoming popular,
>but mostly because the antennas are kept small), just keep it small, simple
>and cheap and then less weight means  a cheaper launch....
>
>     Maybe a less desirable orbit but a simpler cheaper solid fuel boost?
----
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