[amsat-bb] The Space Race is On--and We're Behind...

[Nicholas Mahr KE8AKW]

You guys do know AMSAT NA is going to be putting up our own geostationary
satellite at some point right? From amsat.org about P4B: Virginia Tech
continues to investigate opportunities to fly an amateur payload aboard a
geostationary or geosynchronous satellite. A Payload Accommodation Study
showed that an amateur payload could be carried on a U. S. Government
satellite, but that satellite has been delayed indefinitely. Virginia Tech
expects to have a further status update by summer 2018. So I'd say it's a
matter of time before that happens. Be patient and I'm sure it will happen
soon as well. As for P3E (Molyina orbit sat like AO-10/13) In July 2015,
Virginia Tech approached the U. S. Government with a proposal to fly
AMSAT-DL’s Phase 3E satellite spaceframe with both a scientific payload for
the Government and an amateur radio payload to a Highly Elliptical Orbit
(HEO). Under this proposal, AMSAT would have operated the amateur radio
payload on the mission. Although the U. S. Government approved the proposal
to fly Phase 3E on a classified flight, the Government required Virginia
Tech to partner with a contractor in order to ensure on-time integration of
the payload. Fulfilling this requirement would have caused the project to
exceed the allocated budget by several million dollars which resulted in
its cancellation. The Phase 3E satellite spaceframe remains in storage in
Germany.
Hopefully soon we get more information on P4B status, possibly at Dayton
this year? At the end of the day we are held at the mercy of launch
costs/payload providers.

Nick, KE8AKE