SB SPACE @ ARL $ARLS017
ARLS017 Phase 3-D details set

ZCZC AS96  
QST de W1AW  
Space Bulletin 017  ARLS017
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington, CT  October 10, 1995
To all radio amateurs

SB SPACE ARL ARLS017
ARLS017 Phase 3-D details set

All major contractual issues are now complete for the launch of the
Phase 3-D Amateur Radio satellite, scheduled for September 1996.
Phase 3-D International Satellite Project Leader Dr Karl Meinzer,
DJ4ZC, made the announcement at the annual Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation (AMSAT) meeting held the weekend of October 7 in
Orlando, Florida.

The final arrangements establish a firm cost, schedule and technical
baseline for the launch, Meinzer said.  The contract includes a
launch price of about 1 million dollars; contributions so far from
individuals and organizations around the world will cover the
''first installment'' of the launch bill, about 800,000 dollars,
which is due November 1, 1995.

AMSAT-NA President Bill Tynan, W3XO, said that in addition to the
additional 200,000 dollars needed for launch, another 200,000
dollars is still needed to complete final assembly, check-out, and
testing of the satellite.

The contract with ESA specifies that if, for some reason, launch is
not possible on the Ariane 502 rocket launch in September, 1996, the
space agency will exercise its ''best efforts'' to launch P3-D on an
(older) Ariane 4 booster, no later than mid-1997.   Meinzer said
that the P3-D design team has built the satellite and its carrying
structure to be compatible with both the Ariane 4 and 5 boosters.

Meinzer led negotiations with the European Space Agency (ESA) the
previous weekend, in Evry, France.  Also present at those meetings
were AMSAT-North America Executive Vice President Keith Baker,
KB1SF, and AMSAT-NA Vice President for Engineering Dick Jansson,
WD4FAB.

A story about the P3-D satellite appeared in May 1995 QST.  
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