[amsat-bb] Memorandum of Understanding

[Luc Leblanc]

I remember a Post with this title "TOWARDS A TRUE INTERNATIONAL AMSAT" 
unfortunatly i lost the copy of it if someone can found this post and the 
author i will be glad to received a copy of it.

Look like i speaking to myself again here but it's often the way i get the best 

answers



Memorandum of Understanding between
AMSAT-DL, AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NA


AMSAT-DL for the last five years has been building the P3-E spacecraft to be 
launched into a HEO and intended as a replacement for previous P3 satellites. 
It's purpose is to facilitate communication between radio-amateurs worldwide 
and at the same time to test and verify technologies and procedures needed for 
the P5-A mission to Mars. AMSAT-DL to this day has invested about 500,000 Euro 
into this project.


AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-UK wish to contribute to the P3-E project, primarily with 
the goal to have the launch of P3-E as early as possible in order to give to 
their respective members the use of the communication services provided by P3-
E.


It is recognized that the capability of AMSAT-DL to raise funds limits the 
speed of the development of P3-E. In order to make a launch possible in 2008, 
AMSAT-DL has an immediate need of 40,000 Euro and an estimated need of ~200,000 

Euro prior to the actual launch-date. AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-UK wish to help with 
the raising of these requirements by providing 30,000 Euro (AMSAT-NA) and 
10,000 Euro (AMSAT-UK) in the near future. Furthermore, they wish to contribute 

by raising additional funding as the actual launch arrangements materialize.


In order to achieve an effective cooperation in the funding effort and the 
construction and launching of P3-E, the following details to implement the 
cooperation are agreed:


   1. The three AMSAT organizations will closely coordinate their activities 
and monitor progress of the project by frequent mutual consultations on the 
telephone. To this end the three parties will hold nominally a monthly 
telephone conference to review the status of the project and to identify 
problem areas. At this time the three organizations will be represented by 
Rick, Jim and Peter at these telephone-conferences.

   2. According to need, the three organizations agree to hold sufficiently 
frequent meetings in person to review the project status. These meetings are 
assumed to be desirable with a frequency of 6-12 month between them.

   3. It is understood by all three organizations that procuring a timely 
launch for P3-E is one of the bigger challenges of the project. AMSAT-DL is 
concentrating major efforts of procuring a launch with Arianespace, while AMSAT-

NA is trying to develop a launch opportunity within the USA. All parties 
recognize that major progress in funding is contingent on a firm launch 
agreement. All parties further recognize that a timely construction and 
integration of P3-E is critically dependent on all parties giving highest 
priority to fulfilling their respective commitments.

   4. All three organizations understand that funding progress is dependent on 
effective information dissemination worldwide. To this end the three 
organizations reiterate their mutual agreement that each organization can 
publish all P3-E related publications of the other two organizations in their 
respective public organs without special permission. Furthermore, each 
organization is free to prepare 'official' statements about the project, but 
these publications must be agreed with the project management of P3-E (AMSAT- 
DL) prior to publication. Requests for agreement to publish will be sent to 
Peter (or another person chosen by him), who will use best efforts to respond 
within 7 days with an answer. With other publications by individual authors no 
such agreement is necessary provided that the context makes it is clear that 
the publication is not an official declaration by the project management or 
AMSAT-DL.

   5. AMSAT-DL reiterates that the operational use of P3-E will be primarily to 

provide amateur radio communication services. But all parties also understand 
that the spacecraft is a dual service satellite, and that AMSAT-DL retains the 
right to occasionally reduce the provision of amateur radio services if work 
towards P5-A requires this. A-DL will use due diligence to minimize the impact 
of the P5-A requirements on the provision of amateur services.


For AMSAT-DL                For AMSAT-NA                For AMSAT-UK

Peter DB2OS                 Rick W2GPS J                 Jim G3WGM


"-"
"It is not the class of license the amateur holds, but the class of the amateur 

that holds the license."

Luc Leblanc VE2DWE
Skype VE2DWE
www.qsl.net/ve2dwe
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