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From: richard@sequent.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Grabbing Lost Satellites
Message-ID: <391@sequent.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-Feb-84 04:17:52 EST
Article-I.D.: sequent.391
Posted: Mon Feb 13 04:17:52 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Feb-84 04:46:42 EST
References: <16589@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Portland
Lines: 22

The groups that lost Westar and the Indo sattelite can't just "claim"
the insurance money.  If you had a minor fender-bender and decided to
scrap the car, would you're insurance pay up?

As I understand it, insurance for each sattelite was spread over several
underwriters, Lloyd's of London being the central agency.  If the
insurers determine that the sattelites can be salvaged for less than
the replacement cost, they will only pay for the salvage effort.  If, after
the attempt, it has failed, they then have to pay replacement.

I'm hoping that Lloyds and whoever decide to get NASA to salvage the 
things - if they can, it'll be a great way of turning bad luck into
a selling point.  The insurers might want to see how NASA does with
Solar Max before they decide.  But if the sattelites can be recovered,
it would probably be worth it to bring 'em down and send 'em back up,
since replacement is over $100 Meg,  and would have to include another
launch anyway.

Good Luck, NASA!

			from the confused and bleeding fingertips of
				...!sequent!richard