[amsat-bb] Re: Don't Fly SuitSat2 to ISS

[Rocky Jones]

Ben
> 
> I would wager that if SuitlessSat2 goes up (and I pray that it does) it
> will have much more use then AO-7 in the same time period.

that assumes it works.  The track record is "less"

> 
> SuitSat was a major PR success for AMSAT and ARISS. More then a few
> "hacker"/"maker" podcasts/radio shows I listened to plugged the project
> and amateur radio which you don't see that much. I would say that if
> SSTV was put into the ISS, it would not receive the same coverage.

Suitsat 1 got the internet buzz because of its uniqueness.  I doubt that a "non suitsat" ie a satellite launched much like the Russians did their redo of Sputnik would get the same internet buzz...

But back to "PR" success...what does that mean exactly?  Did it translate into a "bump" in amateur license applications (I dont know maybe it did) did it change anything really?  Or did it just get a lot of "buzz" and then nothing?

PR in spaceflight is a funny thing.  Space advocates all around the world are stymied that things happen in human spaceflight and well there is not a lot of PR...they all think it should be just like Apollo where the entire world came to a halt as various events happened.  Many (and I mean many) years ago when I was playing High School football we were on our way ultimately to state (and in Texas that is not a minor thing) but on the way we were getting beat by the cellar team of our city (Dallas) division.

The coach made a player substitute and the guy who came in brought a clipping that the coach had given him from the DAllas morning news a few days earlier which was a nice spread about the team.  "Coach says give this story to the guys who are whipping your (three letter word)"

I am not sure that the PR in ham radio has all that much "value" compared to functioning satellites

Robert WB5MZO

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