[amsat-bb] Re: Phase 4 versus Eagle

[sco@sco-inc.com]

so it is not a free ride to space? where does the $6,000,000 dollars 
come from then?

At 02:20 PM 12/13/2007, you wrote:
>sco at sco-inc.com wrote:
> > I doubt that would ever happen. If I was the CEO of the launch sat i
> > would never let an "amateur" rocket motor hitch a ride on my multi
> > million dollar bird. Just like NASA won't let us do it.
> >
> > If you can think of a way for us to get from GTO without a motor and
> > fuel then it might happen.
> >
> > Les W4SCO
> > www.scoincsoftware.com
> >
>
>
>That is exactly what I thought until Intelsat told us not only would
>they like to entertain this notion but that they would FUEL THE
>SATELLITE AT THEIR EXPENSE since they have enough left over, using the
>same fuels we do, that they could fill us with the spillage.
>
>This option to ride to space is still ridiculously expensive.  The
>reason it is ridiculously expensive is not because ultimately it will
>cost more than the Phase 4 lite possibility. It will not cost more.  I
>do not know how many times I have to say it, but I will make it my
>personal cross to bear to repeat it ad infinitum.  NO ONE WILL FUND YOUR
>POP OFF SATELLITE TOY.  You and I and everyone else knows that these
>things are entirely too complex and worthy of awe to be a toy.  But that
>is how any funding source will look at it.  To get the satellite into
>orbit will cost more than AO-10, AO13, AO16-WO18 and AO-40 COMBINED.  We
>cannot raise money from people like you.  You either a) don't have it,
>b) are no interested, or c) don't trust us with it.  Irrespective of the
>causes,  am telling you the facts as I see them as any reponsible and
>responsive manager would.  If you don't like the message, elect a new
>director (I am up for re-election) and have the BOD fire me as an
>executive.  I am saying fund sources are not interested in funding your
>communications private repeater.
>
>The thing the P4 Lite mission has going for it is that it DELIVERS A
>SERVICE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY (irrespective of the shouted nonsense to the
>contrary we have seen here).  We have spectrum that no one can tell us
>what to do with so long as we are obeying the law.  We do all of our NRE
>for "nothing".  We are willing to be open source, open specification,
>and the most important thing of all to (say) DHS, we are talking about
>doing it with reconfigurable software radio equipment and to work hard
>on the hard parts of providing interoperability.  What we don't get
>right to begin with, with their support, we will get right and do it at
>a huge reduction in cost over ALL OTHER PROPOSALS.
>
>Think people.  It is not that painful a thing to do.  I have been
>getting headaches from straining to think for decades.  Most of you can
>do  it if you would only try and close your mouths and typewriters long
>enough to do it.
>
>73's
>Bob
>
>--
>AMSAT Director and VP Engineering. Member: ARRL, AMSAT-DL,
>TAPR, Packrats, NJQRP, QRP ARCI, QCWA, FRC. ARRL SDR WG Chair
>"An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why
>must the pessimist always run to blow it out?" Descartes