On 11/29/2011 3:37 PM, John Geiger wrote:
Yes, thanks for all of the great work with AO51. I do have a
question, though. Please don't think that I am being critical of
AO51, the design team, or the command team, because I am not. That
have all done a great job. What I am curious about is this: AO27 has
been going for 18 years and is still doing fine. AO51 made it around
6 years. What is the main difference between the 2 satellites that
might explain the 300% difference in operational life?
73s John AA5JG
It's a fair question.
AO-27 runs a 500mw transmitter for around 8-9 minutes, while
illuminated, per each 100 minute orbit.
AO-51 for most of it's life, ran -two- transmitters at 300mw to over 1w
each, worldwide, and most of the time through eclipse.
That should make the difference more apparent.
73, Drew KO4MA
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