Re: [amsat-bb] eagle costs

[sco@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Here is what I do not understand.
If it proves out that ECHO(1) works and is still working after 1-2 years. 
WHY don't we build another identical ECHO(2), ECHO(3), etc.
It can only be much less expensive to build an exact copy of a sat that we 
know works. WHY do we need to have a totally NEW design everytime for the 
next satellite?

If EAGLE is built, launched and works I would plan on building another copy 
of Eagle for a launch 5-10 years later.

W4SCO

At 09:53 PM 9/3/2004, you wrote:
>Hello Patrick,
>
>If you are really interested, there is a section in the ECHO book on some of
>the major areas that go into matching the batteries.  I had always been
>curious about this, and included it because I though others would find it
>interesting.  The batteries off the shelf are not terribly expensive,
>getting 6+ to match very closely is a different story.  Time-Effort-Money
>
>Space certification for parts requires that they undergo many tests on the
>ground and that they have have been proven to operate in space.  It is an
>inexperienced person that bets the farm on an inexpensive part, to save
>money.
>Considering the time and effort to build and test, not to mention launch a
>satellite and expect a 5+ year lifetime,
>riding on the failure of a cheap unqualified part, is certainly not the way
>to manage a project.
>
>The thing I think people keep forgetting, we can't put it on the bench and
>fix it, like we do so often to so many things here on Earth.  Building
>something both electrical and mechanical that works continuously for 5 years
>without repair is a very, very difficult undertaking.
>
>Regards,
>Gould
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Patrick Green" <pagreen@gmail.com>
>To: "Public Mail List amsat-bb" <amsat-bb@AMSAT.Org>
>Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004 7:58 PM
>Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] eagle costs
>
>
> > To add to the below:  Why do things that are "space certified" so
> > expensive?  I would like to know more on the subject of batteries.
> > These are the things that seem to be the most sensitive of the whole
> > package.
> >
> > 73 de Pat --- KA9SCF.
> >
> >
> > On 03 Sep 2004 18:49:05 -0400, Chris N1ZPP <n1zpp_amsat@snowjournal.com>
>wrote:
> > > This is an interesting subject and something I've thought a lot about
> > > for a while now.
> > >
> > > For those of us that don't understand the all the details involved, why
> > > exactly does a "cheap" satellite cost $110k?  Unless I'm missing
> > > something, I'd think one could pull together the right parts for under
> > > $5k.
> > >
> > > So, where's the cost?  Do those guys in dust suits cost a lot of money?
> > > Do the vibration tests cost a lot of money?  Does the launch cost a lot
> > > of money?  If an amateur satellite could fly on a commercial load as
> > > balast, why does it cost much of anything?
> > >
> > > How about this for cost... What about flying a small sat into orbit atop
> > > an amateur rocket?  I bet there's an amateur rocket group somewhere out
> > > there chomping at the idea of being the first amateur group to put a
> > > satellite in orbit.  So why not team up?  Lets see if an amateur
> > > satellite could be built for under $10k and launched on an amateur
> > > rocket for very little cost.  $25k for the whole project, or am I being
> > > naive?
> > >
> > > --N1ZPP
> > > //Chris
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Fri, 2004-09-03 at 13:53, wa6fwf 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?
> > > >
> > > > Anyone else have any ideas how we can get this show on the road?
> > > >
> > > > 73
> > > > Kevin
> > > > WA6FWF
> > > > #19623
> > > > ----
> > > > Sent via amsat-bb@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the
>author.
> > > > Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite
>program!
> > > > To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org
> > > ----
> > > Sent via amsat-bb@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
> > > Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> > > To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org
> > ----
> > Sent via amsat-bb@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
> > Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
> > To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org
>----
>Sent via amsat-bb@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
>Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
>To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org
----
Sent via amsat-bb@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program!
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe amsat-bb" to Majordomo@amsat.org