Hi Bruce, Yes the NASA announcer said 4 satellites, presumbly refering also to the one that's still in Russia and 2 in the States ?
Let's hope one more is sent up in time for the February space walk. It must cost the Russians about $150,000 to ship each ARISSat to the ISS and the cost of 2 cosmonauts spending half an hour during a space walk to deploy it must be astronomical - how much did the Canadian golf firm, Element 21 pay to buy a Cosmomauts time to hit a golf ball in space ? 73 Trevor M5AKA --- On Thu, 4/8/11, Bruce Robertson <ve9...@gmail.com> wrote: > I wonder if I might hope that the > outrage from us amchair cosmonauts > will abate by tomorrow. > > Let's take a look at what we need and what we've got: as > an > organization, we need cheap rides to space; but we have > some pretty > find satellite-building expertise. The relationship with > ISS will, if > we are reasonable, give us cheap rides. The NASA-TV > announcer > repeatedly said that ARISSAT-1 was the prototype of a > series of > satellites! Already, we've had the opportunity to fly our > first > SDX.The cost of making more along the lines of ARISSAT-1 is > minimal > compared to the cost of the ride, so this is a crucial > relationship. > > What does ISS want from our relationship? Probably, an > increased sense > of purpose: we get a ride, they get recognition, and > perhaps a bit > more TV time for the EVA, and a connection with student > research. > Here's where it counts for us to be polite in a difficult > situation. > Focusing on errors, nationalistic name-calling, and the > rest, just > diminish what they get out the bargain, and make things > more difficult > for those who work with us who have negotiated these > waters. > > Besides, I think the criticisms underestimate the technical > difficulty > and novelty of what we've been part of. I've watched many > EVAs, and > the feeling that things are not exactly going by plan is > pretty common > (even when Americans are running the show :-) How do you > most reliably > ship and store a small satellite to an orbiting space > station? How do > you most safely jettison it during EVA? As a species we > have very > little experience with this, and didn't get it 100% this > time. Surely, > kudos is due to AMSAT for being part of the group that is > trying to > answer these questions. > > Anyway, I have more fun thinking of it that way. And I'm > looking > forward to downloading as much telemetry for Kursk as I > can. > > 73, Bruce > VE9QRP > > -- > http://ve9qrp.blogspot.com > _______________________________________________ > Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. > 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 AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. 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
