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Salvage of AMC 14 Cast Aside
- Thread starter Stan Sherman
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Interesting...FAILED: Proton-M launch - AMC-14 - March 14, 2008 - Viewing a thread
Concerning the lunar flyby maneuver there was at least one patent granted prior to Boeing's (which got its first patent on the subject on Sept 12, 2000):
the first one was granted to the French company SNECMA on May 9, 2000 (US Patent#6 059 233) it is entitled "Method and a system for launching satellites on non coplanar orbits, making use of gravitational assistance from the moon".. it also describes the lunar flyby maneuver to get an HEO satellite into GSO
BTW, as of 11:41:33 PM, Saturday, April 12, 2008, AMC14 was still in orbit.
AMC-14 - Orbit Data
Concerning the lunar flyby maneuver there was at least one patent granted prior to Boeing's (which got its first patent on the subject on Sept 12, 2000):
the first one was granted to the French company SNECMA on May 9, 2000 (US Patent#6 059 233) it is entitled "Method and a system for launching satellites on non coplanar orbits, making use of gravitational assistance from the moon".. it also describes the lunar flyby maneuver to get an HEO satellite into GSO
BTW, as of 11:41:33 PM, Saturday, April 12, 2008, AMC14 was still in orbit.
AMC-14 - Orbit Data
dahenny:
I use this guideline for acronyms -- the first time you spell it out, then you can lapse into the acronym.
I'm guessing that HEO is Highly Elliptical Orbit and GSO is Geosynchronous Orbit.
I use this guideline for acronyms -- the first time you spell it out, then you can lapse into the acronym.
I'm guessing that HEO is Highly Elliptical Orbit and GSO is Geosynchronous Orbit.
:up
Sorry 'bout that.
I always thought that HEO was "high earth orbit", but I could be mistaken.
Sorry 'bout that.
I always thought that HEO was "high earth orbit", but I could be mistaken.
Buzz Aldrin should have patented lunar assists. Both these patent's rely on his work.
:up
Sorry 'bout that.
I always thought that HEO was "high earth orbit", but I could be mistaken.
HEO actually has 2 definitions, it is used for both highly elliptical orbit and high earth orbit. But in the case of a high earth orbit, that's when the apogee is higher than that of a GSO orbit...which AMC-14 is not...so highly elliptical orbit is the better choice in this case
I keep hearing people saying they are going to splash it into the ocean. They aren't going to deorbit like this, they don't want the liability of killing someone by putting it through their house. They'll just fire it up and out to the junkyard orbit.
Deorbits are fairly routine and straight forward for LEO (ie Low) Satellites where the controllers have attitude and thruster controllers of the satellite (just gets alot of hype when you have something big, secret and completely uncontrollable)..I've been involved in a few of them years ago for the military. The 'junkyard' for commsats is above GSO so they've got a long way to go if they want to park it where they were supposed to go (might as well stop along the say and use if for a few years
Where satellites go when they die. - By Daniel Engber - Slate Magazine
for an article I found w/google
Where satellites go when they die. - By Daniel Engber - Slate Magazine
for an article I found w/google
Assuming that no one wants it and moves it to an approved orbit, they will probably ask them to deorbit it. It will probably be burned up in the atmosphere over some area with uninhabited area. As it is it is in an orbit that causes potential problems.
Where is the 'junk' orbit ? 300 km higher then GSO. Where is AMC-14 now ? On high elliptic orbit far away (low) from GSO.
..and that a risky behavior that "might" work, would reduce the life of the satellite tremendously, would probably cause damage to the bird, and would not be in the shareholders best interests is OK because "I want more HD."
Yes, we can understand SES Americom's position. Take the insurance money and buy a new bird. We don't understand the need to de-orbit AMC-14 right away. It makes sense for the insurance company to get whatever salvage money is out there and sell it to another party. Let that other party take the risk of trying to get AMC-14 into a useful orbit.
There is other major consideration - FAA could mandate remove it from current orbit if it violate some code and create problem for future launches and current objects out there.
You are right that it's current inclination/orbit it may create a problem for future launches coming out of that same area, but I dont think (could be wrong) that the FAA has any authority over this particular launch since it didnt occur in a Launch vehicle/site/company that the FAA has jurisdiction over.
Being Foreign (and not launching from the US) I dont believe they had to obtain a license from the "Office of Commercial Space Transportation" which is the FAA Branch that covers this (The Directv bird that went up on Sealaunch would have had to because Sealaunch is registered in the US)
Being Foreign (and not launching from the US) I dont believe they had to obtain a license from the "Office of Commercial Space Transportation" which is the FAA Branch that covers this (The Directv bird that went up on Sealaunch would have had to because Sealaunch is registered in the US)
All the launching countries one or other way obey FAA regulations, especially if it involved other countries as Canada/ US - owners of the sats.
You can't patent how to start a car, but you can patent how to retrieve it when it breaks down!
