[amsat-bb] Re: Indian high-orbit satellite?

[Bruce Robertson]

On Sun, Aug 2, 2009 at 2:04 PM, Bob McGwier<rwmcgwier at gmail.com> wrote:
> We should be ashamed of ourselves in NA and Europe for not having figured
> out the key to unlock the door,  but having been there until my retirement
> from active office holder, I can tell you it was not for lack of trying.

You have, of course, more front-line experience in this question than
I, Bob, but I tend to analyze the situation in a manner that avoids
shame on anyone's part. As I see it, Indian hams are in the position
USA hams were in during the 70s: they have a  launch program that is
not fully market-driven, and a launch agency which sees its role in
part as promoting the dignity of the country. In these circumstances,
assisting an effort like AMSAT India makes sense to government, etc.
And just as the rest of the ham world expressed its gratitude and
admiration of the US in the 70's, so we should express our gratitude
and admiration for India today. (Which is easy to do, given their
excellent achievements so far.)

> We have an essentially COMPLETE Phase 3E sitting on the shelf, looking for a
> way to get up.  We had a ride to geo with the outstreched hand  waiting for
>  O(10^7) dollars.  We need to either break the logjam or start sending money
> to AMSAT India if this will get the job done.

Under the circumstances as described above, AMSAT-DL is playing a
pretty nice hand, I think, by tying 3E with the Mars project and
appealing to the research interests of the country. I agree that
should AMSAT India mount a fund-raising campaign, it would be an
attractive proposition for hams who are hoping to find more
communications satellites in orbit.

> My real fear is the singular lack of experience in dealing with propulsion,
>  attitude control WITHOUT propulsion at in HEO,  and Van Allen radiation
> belts.   I would be happy to tell them all about it except the BLOODY Itar
> rules that have not stopped a single adversary from getting the technology
> they need, has truly magnified the cost and difficulty of export our
> satellites (so others build them instead), would send me to jail for
> helping.

This is frustrating, and I think it is great that AMSAT is getting out
from under all this, with any luck in time for ITAR to  be relaxed
under the new US administration. However, I think the most important
thing we can do is ensure that this effort will provide ISRO and India
in general with ample positive response from around the globe. I know
that is what our government would hope for in Canada if we were able
to mount a project like this locally.

73, Bruce
VE9QRP

> Bob
> N4HY
>
>
>
> Bruce Robertson wrote:
>>
>> The AMSAT India newsletter has some great news: their proposal for
>> Hamsat II requests that ISRO provide an elliptical or MEO orbit!
>> Moreover, they're also asking for space on a geosynchronous bird. I
>> suppose the latter would not necessarily benefit those of us in North
>> America, but it would provide a fine emergency service to Asian
>> regions and provide a pioneering example for other AMSAT groups.
>>
>> 73, Bruce
>> VE9QRP
>> _______________________________________________
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>
>
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