The board of directors of
AMSAT-NA has elected Joe Spier, K6WAO, of Reno,
Nevada, as the amateur satellite
organization's new president. He succeeds Barry Baines, WD4ASW, who stepped
down after nine years at the helm. The AMSAT News Service says Spier has
previously served as the group's executive vice president and VP for
educational relations.
Immediately after
assuming office, Spier announced the next phase of AMSAT's cubesat program,
abbreviated GOLF for "Greater Orbit, Larger Footprint." Tiny cubesats
typically are launched into low Earth orbit and have limited coverage areas.
The goal of the GOLF program, according to ANS, is to use and build on proven
cubesat technology for satellites to be launched "to a wide variety of orbits,
including LEO, Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), Geosynchronous Orbit (GEO), Highly
Elliptical Orbit (HEO), or beyond."
