Re: I was talking about his comments ion the MO
Sleepy me, sorry...like nearly everyone here Rich has an agenda and pushes it. Facts can get pushed to the side...
It's more than apples and oranges...it's apples and cabbage's.
But it shouldn't surprise anyone that it's possible to do a cheap build of a spacecraft. It's a high risk method in a already risky process. AMSAT HAM Radio Sats cost way less than a similar commerical Sat. But, we accept a higher percentage of failure and still feel the spacecraft is a success with as much as a 80% failed of on board systems! At Mars this is an unacceptable number as comms and landing need to be 100% successful, otherwise that 40 plus million is wasted!
I wish them well, but I doen't expect a miracle.
--Chris Vancil