🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Feb7.070632.20545@techbook.com> szabo@techbook.com (Nick Szabo) writes:
>The size of satcoms is _not_ increasing, though I've seen this myth often
>repeated by the Ariane folks to justify Ariane 5.   The newest generation
>Intelsat is slightly smaller, for example...

The Intelsat 7s are smaller only because they are intended for areas of
lighter use that don't justify an Intelsat 6.  The replacement for the
6 will probably be bigger yet, launchers permitting.  I don't know the
trend of the *average* comsat size, but the *high end* comsats are getting
bigger and heavier all the time.

Of course, everyone might abandon the big comsats and flock to small
low-orbit ones, but I'm not convinced that will happen any time soon.
The low-orbit birds will open up new markets rather than taking over
old ones.

>... Satcom companies will choose the appropriately sized, more
>reliable, and less costly Delta 2 and Atlas 2 (and perhaps other similarly 
>sized rockets).

If I'm not mistaken, Nick, neither of those can carry an Intelsat 6, never
mind whatever eventually replaces the 6.
-- 
SVR4:  proving that quantity is         | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
not a substitute for quality.           |  henry@zoo.toronto.edu  utzoo!henry