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Author Topic: Fox-1E... another failed AMSAT-NA satellite  (Read 388 times)

WE4B

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Fox-1E... another failed AMSAT-NA satellite
« on: January 21, 2021, 03:04:04 PM »

It’s time to, once again, speak of, yet, another AMSAT-NA failure. This time it was Fox-1E that was launched January 17, 2021 by Virgin Orbit.

Like AO-95 which preceded Fox-1E in orbit, Fox-1E was DOA. To be totally correct, AO-95 could be heard but couldn’t hear signals from the ground whereas Fox-1E seems to be totally DOA.

There has not been any communications from ‘leadership’ of AMSAT-NA about Fox-1E. This is the modus operandi for the organization. They always hope that if they just ignore the failures that nobody will care.

The last three satellite opportunities for AMSAT-NA have resulted in zero out of three functional satellites with the three that proceeded them failing prematurely. AMSAT-NA has a problem with its engineering of satellites. I could understand one satellite failing but we now have a disturbing trend and members have NO communication from AMSAT-NA leadership.

I am an AMSAT-NA member and one of the more vocal members. I’m not afraid to speak my mind and sign my name to what I wrote. AMSAT-NA members deserve much better than what they are getting from the current ‘leaders’. I am calling for current, legacy, incumbent Board members to resign and I am calling for the VPE to be removed from his position. After all, he’s not an engineer and there’s really no effective way for him to lead an engineering team. I am also calling for engineering team members to be re-vetted and possibly replaced. AMSAT-NA has limited funds and these continued failures are just eroding any money in the coffers.

AMSAT-NA now finds itself in a very precarious situation. A history of failed satellites combined with a documented history of ‘leaders’ that are simple using the organization as a clubhouse have caused the membership to lose confidence.

Yes, space is hard but a lack of ‘leaders’ that have integrity and leadership abilities have led to a #DownwardSpiral of the organization.

I call for legacy, incumbent AMSAT-NA Board members to resign so that others can help to save the organization. If these legacy, incumbent Board members truly do care about keeping amateur radio in space the. They should do so for the good of the organization.
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K1VSK

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Re: Fox-1E... another failed AMSAT-NA satellite
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2021, 04:47:18 PM »

I thought that’s why it’s called “amateur” radio.
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KA0HCP

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Re: Fox-1E... another failed AMSAT-NA satellite
« Reply #2 on: January 22, 2021, 04:43:57 PM »

Those evil AMSAT leaders! 

I'll bet they are also stealing small children and selling them into slavery, and drinking milk after it's 'Use by' date!

(AMSAT-NA Life Member).

[EDIT:   Anyone can blather and blame on the interweb.  How much money are you willing to donate to improve the organization engineering capabilities?]
« Last Edit: January 22, 2021, 04:50:22 PM by KB4QAA »
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KA0HCP, ex-KB4QAA Relocated to Ks. April 2019.

WE4B

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Re: Fox-1E... another failed AMSAT-NA satellite
« Reply #3 on: January 22, 2021, 07:41:41 PM »

How much money are you willing to donate to improve the organization engineering capabilities?

Throwing money at a problem doesn't fix problems. Fewer and fewer people are willing to even renew memberships due to AMSAT-NA's history of legacy, incumbent Board members using the organization as their personal clubhouse and due to the fact that the track record of satellites over the recent past is abysmal.

There needs to be serious change within AMSAT-NA, money won't fix the problem. If I were king for a day, I would probably start with having an classically educated engineer as the VPE and I would want that person to have experience with space related RF technologies. I would also remove all legacy, incumbent Board members and replace them with progressive persons who truly care about the organization and aren't there just for a title. I would also rewrite the bylaws and institute term limits for Board members.

If AMSAT-NA keeps on, keeping on then... well... members will just keep getting what they're getting and members that support the organization with their hard earned dollars deserve so much more than what they're getting.
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WE4B

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Re: Fox-1E... another failed AMSAT-NA satellite
« Reply #4 on: January 22, 2021, 07:47:05 PM »

Most of the 'juicy' comments have been deleted by moderators on this Reddit thread regarding Fox-1E but AMSAT-NA now finds itself in the position of being the laughing stock of amateur radio organizations. Is this how members want AMSAT-NA to be viewed? I certainly don't. For the record, none of the comments or the meme were made by me. This is happening organically within the amateur radio community. AMSAT-NA has to make some changes or the ridicule and shame will only get worse:

https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/l0w4gs/actual_photo_of_amsats_new_satellite_radfxsat/

Here's the meme someone made of Fox-1E:

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VE3WGO

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Re: Fox-1E... another failed AMSAT-NA satellite
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2021, 05:55:19 AM »


How much money are you willing to donate to improve the organization engineering capabilities?]

It's not about money.

Amsat had $804,779 in the bank as cash and investments at the end of 2019 according to the financial statement.  So they are not cash poor. 

They need expertise, not cash.  What are all the satellite system experts doing out there...  are any of them willing to help, or is something scaring them away?

73, Ed
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W1VT

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Re: Fox-1E... another failed AMSAT-NA satellite
« Reply #6 on: January 23, 2021, 06:12:23 AM »

I recall being approached to help out building a transmitter but declined as I was recovering from a stroke that had severely impacted my construction skills.  As well as the ability to work long hours as my entire right side was affected.  I've since recovered as that was 20 years ago but now devote a lot of time to rose gardening.

Zak W1VT
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WE4B

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Re: Fox-1E... another failed AMSAT-NA satellite
« Reply #7 on: January 23, 2021, 07:40:15 PM »

Here's another thread which has been started on Reddit about AMSAT-NA and Fox-1E. It seems that Redditors, along with others, have taken noticed of what's happening with AMSAT-NA... it's not the kind of press that AMSAT-NA needs and only AMSAT-NA can change it but it will take a complete housecleaning of incumbents to have any effect:

https://www.reddit.com/r/amateurradio/comments/l3kk0n/amsat_fox1e/
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VE3WGO

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Re: Fox-1E... another failed AMSAT-NA satellite
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2021, 05:59:59 PM »

it seems like a good time for satellites to be designed with some extra redundancy in critical subsystems.  At least then there might be a way to provide some on-board self-diagnostics to help the ground team learn and fix whatever ails the little spaceship.

73, Ed
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