[amsat-bb] Re: geo stationary bird

[Richard Limebear]

Thanks for the replies

>     Does anyone know if retired birds are switched ON or OFF once they
>     get boosted into a retirement orbit ?  Could still be useful to us
>     even from there.

> For us it just means we need switchable antennas that can be swapped 15 
> years after launch.

Accepted. We don't yet know what antenna assemblies will be permissible.

> However, when the satellite enters eclipse, the TV etc transponders are 
> run from the batteries. I suspect that at this point, AMSAT would be 
> switched off or into some low power mode until the eclipse has passed.  
> The extra battery power needed for operation of AMSAT */_and_/*  the 
> commercial transponder  during eclipse would require a significant mass 
> increase of the on-board batteries.

But thats the whole point of this exercise (piggy-backing inside a geo 
bird); there *is* extra mass availability due to the launch configuration.

Good concept and has my full support as long as P3E doesn't become a 
victim of fund diversion.

-- 
73
Richard W L Limebear G3RWL
g3rwl at amsat.org
FOC # 1188

              So many beautiful girls ... (sob) so little time