Phase 3D アップデート
Phase 3D アップデート | |
Keith Baker, KB1SF, AMSAT-NA President, released a letter dated May 14,
1999 from Dr. Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC, AMSAT-DL President and Phase 3-D
Project Leader. The letter -addressed to Dayton Hamvention attendees-
sheds new light on the current launch status of the Phase 3-D International
Satellite. Dr. Meinzer wrote:
Greetings! May 14, 1999
As you well know, I very much have been looking forward to joining you
for the 1999 Dayton Hamvention. Unfortunately, recent developments
regarding our launch situation for Phase 3-D have now made it
necessary that I remain here in Germany during the Hamvention event.
As many of you know, AMSAT-DL is the principal agency responsible for
securing a safe and affordable launch for Phase 3-D. Since this project
began, we had secured such a launch opportunity on one of the Ariane-5
test flights, which were conducted under the control of the European
Space Agency (ESA).
Unfortunately, this launch agreement for P3-D with ESA did not work out,
essentially due to the failure of the first Ariane-5 flight and the resulting
aftermath. Since ESA is not conducting such flights anymore, my team
and I have been working very hard over the past year or so to find a
replacement launch. We have been patiently negotiating with a number
of different launch agencies and it looks now that this work is starting to
pay off as it is beginning to yield results.
I am pleased to report to you that we are currently in the final phase of
working out the details of an agreement for the launch of Phase 3-D with
one of these launch agencies. At this point, I am very optimistic and I
believe this launch agency is genuinely working very hard toward
providing us a launch for P3-D. I am also very hopeful that in the
following weeks a launch contract can be closed which contains
conditions we can meet. The agency has now identified some launches
over the next year or so which have enough performance margin to allow
the inclusion of P3-D in addition to the main payload.
The launcher business these days has become extremely competitive
and it is has become nearly impossible for launch agencies to fix their
launch-plan for more than half a year ahead. Thus, even after our
contract is closed, we will remain a stand-by passenger. However,
judging from the presently known plans, they could - and I emphasize
the word could - lead to a launch of our satellite as early as of October
1999. Of course, this all assumes that the remaining open details of our
interface with their launch vehicle can be successfully worked out and
that we do not run into some last-minute problems with our contract.
Needless to say, I am delighted with this turn of events. My only
remaining wish is that I could be there in Dayton to share them with you
in person. Please accept my sincere best wishes for a productive
AMSAT Forum at Hamvention and my thanks for your continued
patience and strong support of our efforts.
73,
--signed--
Dr. Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC
AMSAT-DL President and Phase 3-D Project Leader
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