[amsat-bb] need HEO .. please..

[Zach Metzinger]

On 06/18/20 20:10, Jim Walls via AMSAT-BB wrote:
> Absolutely loved AO-10 and AO-40 (sob) with their high orbits.  I would 
> love to see another HEO to use.

N0JY presented an update back in 2019 which outlined the steps for the 
new series, GOLF:

https://www.amsat.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Hamcom-Engineering-update.pdf

On slide 13, we can see that GOLF-1 has a proposed approximate orbit of 
1200km, which is _almost_ MEO, so the program appears to be headed 
toward those higher orbits.

Slides 14 and 15 show the new orbital debris regulatory challenges, 
probably caused by the proliferation of space objects, that might be 
causing some headaches for higher orbits. As Jerry mentions, the only 
way to qualify a de-orbit device is to use it! So, you're throwing away 
some money right on the first satellite. Ooof!

Could AMSAT get an exception to this? I don't know, but if everyone who 
is interested in MEO/HEO would write their congresscritter in a polite 
and informed way, perhaps they might help us out.

The world has changed, and we need to adapt to it.[1]

--- Zach
N0ZGO

[1] I definitely recommend that everyone read: "Who Moved My Cheese?", 
Johnson, Spencer M.D., ASIN: B004CR6AM4.