[aprssig] AMSAT Plans?

[Alan]

I wish there was a single page I could link to which explains what AMSAT has
been doing and why, and what it is planning to do. This is discussed from
time to time on the AMSAT-BB list, which you can subscribe to here:  

https://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

Better would be to join AMSAT-NA and receive The AMSAT Journal which
features regular editorials and occasional articles on the subject. There
are also AMSAT Facebook and Twitter accounts.

A few bullet-less bullet points:

The launch world has changed dramatically since AO-40. We used to be able to
get a free launch, or a launch for a purely nominal amount. Today, there are
people willing to pay for every kg of launch capability. There is an
upgraded AO-13/AO-40 spacecraft nearly ready for launch in Germany. AMSAT-DL
has been looking for an affordable launch for a decade!  If you have $10
million dollars to spare, they will probably name it for you. Hi Hi

The geosynchronous satellite, QO-100, is a truly remarkable achievement, but
it is not an amateur payload. It is a commercial payload, tweaked to include
amateur microwave bands on one of the transponders. A once in a generation
opportunity where several things came together is just the right way.

AMSAT-NA has recently announced they are working on an amateur payload for
the Luna Gateway station.

The GOLF (Greater Orbit, Larger Footprint) series of satellites being
developed are working their way back to high altitude using an affordable
CubeSat configuration.

The "Five and Dime" ground station, 5 GHz up & 10 GHz down, is being
developed by a related amateur group for future AMSAT opportunities.

Really, there is a lot going on which is public, and much more which due to
Non-Disclosure Agreements must be kept confidential.

73,

Alan
WA4SCA