karn@eagle.UUCP (05/27/83)
By the way, for those of you doubtful of our second try on "that damn French rocket", I have learned that we are carrying insurance this time. The provisions (as I remember them, I might be slightly off) state that we reach a final orbit with an inclination greater than 30 degrees, apogee between about 35,000 and 40,000 km, perigee greater than about 1,000km, within 60 days of launch. Since it will require the kick motor to give us this kind of orbit, the insurance has the effect of also guaranteeing that our spacecraft is functional and commandable, and the kick motor firings have the desired effect. The price? The insurance "leverage" is 8:1, i.e., $1 of insurance buys $8 of coverage. I believe we are insured to about $250,000, roughly the actual out-of-pocket expenses (but not the value of volunteer time) required to build the spacecraft. Keep your fingers crossed. Phil Karn, KA9Q