Title: Some Thoughts Concerning Geosynchronous Missions for the         Next
Century

Robert Wigand
RWigand@aol.com
Wigand Co.

Abstract:
Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) has become an in-
creasingly important feature of mission operations during the last half of
the 20th Century. Communications relay services by geosynchronous satellites
are revolutionizing the telecommunications industry and enhancing growth of
the internet. Physical properties of the GEO belt make it a unique global
resource which is also valuable for earth observation, including weather
imaging, and scientific experimentation. As the belt becomes more crowded,
improved monitoring of adherence to allocated position "slots", presently
done at radio frequencies, is desirable to reduce interferences. Visual
monitoring of GEO satellites is not now possible, but will become practical
in the 21st Century, perhaps from a telescope on the Space Station or from
satellites in orbit like Hubble's. Conceptual studies of manned spacecraft to
visit GEO where they can cost- effectively launch, repair, relocate,
retrieve, or replace satellites have been made but not further advanced,
mainly because of Space Station priorities. After the internatiomal Space
Station is operational it may serve as a staging platform for a small manned
shuttle to GEO. An American president has set a manned mission to Mars as a
major goal of space exploration in the 21st Century. This will require
creation of a lunar outpost as a base for the test range necessary for
developing and evaluating the systems to perform that mission. Communications
with the Moon may be accomplished by outward-looking relay satellites from
GEO. As greater activity occurs beyond the GEO belt during the next century
and engineering progress is made, electromagnetic frequencies of shorter
wavelength will be utilized for space-to-space communications, avoiding
greater congestion in the presently occupied spectral bands.

P.S. My apologies for not sending this earlier, but my home computer just
joined the internet this week.