The engine used in AO-40 was the same model used in all previous P3 series satellites.
AO-40's size was determined by the space donated by the ESA. If the AMSAT-DL Mars mission is a fantasy then P3 may never fly as its launch is to be funded by that mission. Suitsat seems perfectly reasonable as it is a UV linear transponder with the government paying for the launch. This is what most AMSAT members want. 73, John KD6OZH ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rocky Jones" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]>; "Amsat BB" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2009 19:30 UTC Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Don't Fly SuitSat2 to ISS (rebuttal) > > Jeff... > > >> >> Clearly the kind of mistake that caused the catastrophic failure could >> have happened on any spacecraft assembled by any organization. > > nope. > > OK anyone has a statistical chance of dying or any project has a > statistical chance of failing but the more complex a project is the more > likely it is to fail...and AO-40 as it grew more complex needed larger > size which then needed a more powerful rocket engine...which ... > > this is "mission creep" (or more correctly design creep) and as I noted it > is a common cause of failure among homebuilders. Unless you are "rolling > your own" (ie doing the aerodynamics yourself) most home builders build > something that professionals have at least deigned. Where they get into > trouble is when they start adding things and making the project outside > the scope of what was well understood. > > had AO-40 not been "supersat" it would not have needed the larger > engine... > >> >> You can call it "simple" if you like but a) it remains firmly affixed to >> earth and b) it is being sold to the German government as an adjunct to >> a mission to Mars. If you want to call an interplanetary mission >> "simple" that's your call, but P3E was scheduled to be launched years >> ago to support the P5 mission that was supposed to launch in 2009 and >> I'll buy the first beer whenever either of those fly... > > The one to Mars will never fly.Its a fantasy project..but 3E eventually > will. I think. >> > >> >> For the last time (from me, I promise) we have been told in no uncertain >> terms that the cost for a launch to GTO that would carry a craft of the >> size required to provide a happy medium of solar panels and antennas >> will cost no less than $6 million US and maybe as much as $8 million. > > If that is the case then we are, after 3E gets its launch done in HEO > sats...a reasonable hope is that with some new launch vehicles coming on > IE Falcon9 etc there might be some opportunities for "reduced rate" > launches...but who knows. What I wonder is if there is any reluctance on > the part of launch vehicle providers after the 40 incident to let "amateur > propulsion" ride on their vehicle. It is after all "rocket science". > > Look my only argument is that reality should guide where the dollars are > spent, since as you point out, the dollars are not going as far as they > use to. I bet suitsat is going to run (after all cost are figured in) > around 50,000 or so. > > thanks for a pleasant discussion...can pick this up later tonight but am > off for a little "Mission creep" myself. Got the 51 foot tower up on the > new place at Santa Fe, but the XYL bought the tower of my dreams and we > are going to get it on its concrete stand today. > > later > > Robert WB5MZO >> > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Get back to school stuff for them and cashback for you. > http://www.bing.com/cashback?form=MSHYCB&publ=WLHMTAG&crea=TEXT_MSHYCB_BackToSchool_Cashback_BTSCashback_1x1 > _______________________________________________ > Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. > Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! > Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
