[amsat-bb] Re: Re-purposing ATVs

[Rick Mann]

On Apr 3, 2008, at 1:06 PM, Graham Shirville wrote:
> Nice idea but one of the major uses of the ATV is to fill it up with
> literally tons of garbage before it is deorbited, I doubt NASA or  
> ESA would
> be happy to happy to do away with that facility:)


No reason it can't be filled with garbage, and then parked in an orbit  
that would be useful to amateur radio (assuming sufficient fuel  
remains after ISS operations). It should have abundant power available  
for a powerful transmitter(s), and if they hang on to a little bit of  
fuel, it could be deorbited if it ever becomes a problem.

AMSat would have to pay for the radio equipment, and be willing to  
lose it at a moment's notice. ESA would have to donate the mass, and  
whatever time is necessary to accommodate our use.

The hardest part (aside from the convincing) is probably getting  
approval for adequat antennas.

-- 
Rick