Bald Eagle

Light for Flight
But How Much do Satellite Transmitters Weigh?

Have you ever wondered about the effect the satellite transmitters might have on the eagles?

As you can see from this picture, the transmitter is worn on the eagle's back--almost like a backpack. These backpacks are known as "PTTs," which is short for "platform transmitter terminals."

Each PTT package weighs approximately 100 grams (3.5 oz.), which is less than 2 percent of the body weight of an average bald eagle.

How would it feel to carry such a backpack?

If you wore a backpack that weighed 2% of your body weight, how heavy would your backpack be?

(After doing your own calculations, click here for a sample answer.)

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