This from slashdot:
Science: Amateur Mars Satellite
[Space] Posted by michael on Sunday August 04, @12:01AM
from the wing-and-a-prayer dept.
Hobbyspacer writes "The German AMSAT-DL group recently announced
formal approval of the Phase 5-A project to send a spacecraft to Mars
in the 2007 or 2009 launch window. The spacecraft will use the same
structure as AO-40 (formerly Phase 3-D) that was launched into earth
orbit in the fall of 2000. Like AO-40 the Mars probe will piggyback on
an Ariane 5 launch and use the same 400 N propulsion system. (I expect
they will solve the problem that caused the engine misfiring that
nearly destroyed the spacecraft.) The Phase 3-E project was also
approved to follow up AO-40 and to test various techniques and
technologies for the Mars mission. The document P5A-to-Mars!(712k pdf)
describes the technical challenges and possible solutions for such an
ambitious mission. AO-40 cost several million dollars and the Mars
probe should cost considerably more, requiring they obtain funds
outside of AMSAT members and the ham radio community. The long list,
though, of spectacular contributions made by AMSAT to the development
of micro sats and space communications gives the program high
credibility."
Links in the article include:
http://www.amsat-dl.org/index.html
http://www.amsat-dl.org/p3ep5a.htm
http://www.amsat-dl.org/p5a/
http://www.amsat-dl.org/journal/adlj-p3d.htm
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/03/19/1/
http://www.amsat-dl.org/p3e/
http://www.amsat-dl.org/p5a/p5a-to-mars.pdf
http://www.amsat.org/amsat/amsat-na/amhist.html
Michael
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Wallis KF6SPF (408) 396-9037 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
President, Wallis International http://www.wallis.com
Jay Cuccia:
"Always say what you're going to do, not what you think others want to
hear."
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