[amsat-bb] Re: Where to donate

[Burns Fisher]

>I realized my monthly donation to AMSAT ?had stopped a short time ago.?
Wanting to re initiate it I am debating going with Fox vs P3E from our DL
friends.? The DL version is obviously the coolest of the two, though Fox
would probably more >immediately economically feasible.? Retired on a fixed
income I spread my funds carefully.??? Being a HEO fanatic I question the
short term feasibility of P3E.? I feel a HEO would be a huge boost in a
expanding satellite community.? I give a >few talks, do a hamfest and try
to carry the "message" .? Usually ending with, "we simply we need more
money".? Maybe buy more lottery tickets or pool our Visa cards.? I know we
have some very smart and "connected" people within >AMSAT to the commercial
industry.? The big question, "where do we get the biggest bang for our
buck".? An idol thought, what would NASA say/do if say North
Korea?China,?or?Iran said we can launch a bird for you.? Yep throw politics
into >it.? It's late, I'm rambling yet these tho!
> ughts seem to forever occupy me.
>
>fairwell to AO-51
>
>73 Bob W7LRD

I can't tell you where to donate, of course.  It's your decision.  You have
to consider what you want, and what you think is most likely to fly
soonest, I guess.  But a comment about launch services from those other
countries.  I don't think N. Korea or Iran can reach orbit reliably, so
trying to launch with them would really be buying a lottery ticket.  And
beyond that, it would not be NASA that would be upset but the US state (I
think) department.  Satellites fall under ITAR (Internatlional Traffic in
Arms Regulations, or something like that), and AMSAT would be in big
trouble "exporting" a satellite without way more tons of paperwork than the
rocket could lift :-)  Probably not even that much paper would get a
satellite to N Korea or Iran.   Rides to orbit are more difficult now
because of ITAR.  Check the Amsat Journal archives for articles about it.
 (I know you are somewhat joking and I'm giving a serious answer...sorry
about that...)

Burns, W2BFJ