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Amateur Mars Satellite

Posted by michael on 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."

5 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. A big leap? by Devil's+BSD · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think this is kind of a big leap from just a amateur rocket in space earlier this year. What happened to an actual geosynchronous satelite, a lunar probe, or even an amateur manned space shot? I think they should plan these first before they leap into such a project.

    --
    I'm the Devil the Windows users warned you about.
  2. Contamination and porly funded projects by Speedy8 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    While all of these projects are cool, I wonder if the cheaper projects will have problems with lower standards of cleanliness and lead to contamination of Mars, possibly leading to the destruction of any curent life on Mars. After all Scientists have found that there was contamination on the first lunar lander that touched down on the Moon on 1967.

    1. Re:Contamination and porly funded projects by guttentag · · Score: 3, Funny
      Filed at 7:08 p.m. MSNST, August 5, 2033
      AMERICAN QUARTER, MARS RESEARCH BASE (MSNAP) -- MSASA researchers have discovered what appears to be a 2012-model German Sony Aibo in a region of Plateau 148 that was previously believed unexplored.

      The artificial dog had a spent CO2 cannister strapped to its back and flexible solar panels in place of floppy ears.

      "Basically, we're thinking this is probably the work of some amateur who thought it would be fun to illegally land on Mars before we got here," Mars Station Director Johnson said. "We are currently swabbing the dog for fingerprints and have been assured the full cooperation of the German police force in bringing this criminal to justice."

      According to initial reports, researchers first thought they had encountered an intelligent extra-terrestrial life form but lost interest when it didn't seem to understand English. A week later, a team carrying a German exchange scientist encountered the Aibo and was able to make it sit up, beg, and sing the Sony Anthem in German.

      The minimum penalty for sending your own property to another planet without MSASA permission is 3 years confinement on the roving Lunar Prison, which is designed to remain on the dark side of the moon at all times.

      "I'd like to remind everyone," Director Johnson said, "that you can't go around sending things to other planets. This isn't a joke. Leave this serious business of interplanetary travel to the professionals."

  3. Amateur != neophyte by pongo000 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Seems like there's a lot of misconceptions about what the word "amateur" means. Amateur radio is named for its non-commercial nature (amateur as opposed to professional), and has nothing to do with level of competence. There are a great number of amateur radio operators who are experts in their fields of endeavor, and can hardly be considered "amateur" in terms of competence. Here's a list of some of the more famous amateurs. I see a Nobel Prize winner in physics on there, which I'd hardly consider "amateur."

  4. Calling Mars... by SEWilco · · Score: 3, Funny

    "CQ Mars...CQ Mars..."
    "Mars is on the other side of the Sun, wait a few months"
    "I'm working the bounce off Saturn."
    "Oh. Any luck?"
    "Won't know until morning. Light speed delay."