Is There Another High-Orbit Satellite in Our Future?
The last high-orbit
amateur satellite launched was AO-40 in late 2000, which suffered an on-board explosion
in orbit and never became fully operational. Ever since that time, a backup
satellite "spaceframe" has been in storage in Germany, where much of the work on AO-40 was done.
Now, Virginia
Tech, working with AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA, has approached the U.S. government about launching that satellite into
high-earth orbit in order to support scientific payloads as well as amateur
radio transponders. The AMSAT News Service reports that members of AMSAT-DL
approved shipping the Phase-3E spaceframe to Virginia for "further construction, testing and
preparation for eventual launch" should the U.S. government approve the proposal and provide
funding. High-orbit satellites are generally visible from the ground for many
hours at a time and have large "footprints" that allow contacts over
very long distances.
The last high-orbit
amateur satellite launched was AO-40 in late 2000, which suffered an on-board explosion
in orbit and never became fully operational. Ever since that time, a backup
satellite "spaceframe" has been in storage in Germany, where much of the work on AO-40 was done. 
Now, Virginia
Tech, working with AMSAT-DL and AMSAT-NA, has approached the U.S. government about launching that satellite into
high-earth orbit in order to support scientific payloads as well as amateur
radio transponders. The AMSAT News Service reports that members of AMSAT-DL
approved shipping the Phase-3E spaceframe to Virginia for "further construction, testing and
preparation for eventual launch" should the U.S. government approve the proposal and provide
funding. High-orbit satellites are generally visible from the ground for many
hours at a time and have large "footprints" that allow contacts over
very long distances.
