AMSAT-NA President Robert Bankston, KE4AL, told the 2021 AMSAT Dr. Tom Clark, K3IO, Memorial Space Symposium on October 30 that the organization is looking ahead to future satellite missions but will “go commercial” in order to keep enough satellites in space. Bankston, who was re-elected at a virtual Board meeting on October 29, said AMSAT is in solid financial position and donations are “healthy.” Bankston said membership numbers are holding strong, with more than 4,000 members in 76 countries, and that recent administrative modernization has reduced overhead costs by more than 30%.
Vice President-Development Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, noted that, despite AMSAT’s solid financial standing, additional funds are needed to design, build, and launch satellites. Consequently, AMSAT is ramping up its grant-writing efforts, applying for grants from philanthropic organizations and corporate sponsors.
Bankston said AMSAT’s strategic plan prioritizes putting satellites into high-Earth orbits. He also summarized the GOLF (Greater Orbit, Larger Footprint) initiative as part of its plan to reach higher orbits. AMSAT will not be giving up on low-Earth satellites (FM CubeSats), however. “FM satellites are very important and can serve as a stepping stone to more sophisticated spacecraft,” Bankston said. AO-91 and AO-92 are “living on borrowed time,” so new initiatives are in order.
Read more – via American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources http://www.arrl.org/news/view/amsat-na-elects-officers-discusses-ongoing-and-future-satellite-projects
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