[amsat-bb] Re: Future radical satellite designs

[john heath]

A great posting from Patrick. Good practical commonsense.

A non battery option has been discussed many time on the UK Amsat Midlands 
net as far back as 2001.
Robert G8ATE in particular suggested that all satellites should have a 
"failure mode" in which the batteries were out of circuit and the 
transponder ran on solar power. AO-7 is the prime example. What about night 
time operations?  If the orbit is higher the Sun time for any station is 
extended.

Is a compromise possible, here. A solar only transponder satellite might be 
a bit radical, could it be a switchable option?
Taking up Patrick's point it could be a high power mode.

73 John
G7HIA