High-Tech Microsatellite

aebrain writes "The recent launch of the FedSat microsatellite will have significant long-term consequences for Ka-band comms in remote areas (ie cheap 2GB broadband anywhere) and Re-Configurable Hardware in space -- which could lead to cheaper, more reliable deep space missions. The latest news (including pix of telemetry) is here, with some details on the hardware and software here. Also available, a Rogue's Gallery of the Australian team that put it together."

Comments

Kangaroo powered?

[acehole]

Why of course, we Australians are always finding new inventive ways of using one of our country's icons in power production.

We eat them, we wear them, they fuel our cars and micro satellites. What more could we use them for? If there are more uses by gosh we'll find 'em.

Oooh, High-Tech

[SEWilco]

"High-Tech Microsatellite"

I sure am glad that all the microsatellites based on vacuum-tube technology will soon be retired.

(PS: let's ignore the TWTs)

How "cheap" is "cheap"?

[WIAKywbfatw]

Building, launching and maintaining a telecoms satellite is not something that you can be done on a shoestring budget; these things cost money.

According to the second link given, the satellite project has a budget of AUS $20million over seven years. And given that the majority of Australia's population lives in urban centres, there are going to be relatively few people using this satellite as their broadband service provider.

High costs and low potential usage doesn't exactly suggest that this will be a cheap solution - quite the opposite in fact.

Quoting from the linked page:

Its purposes are: to establish Australian capability in microsatellite technologies; to develop expertise necessary for sustaining those industries and profiting from them; to test and develop Australian-developed intellectual property; and to provide a research platform for Australian space-science, communication and GPS studies.

Note, it's described as a research platform, not a commercial development. (Perhaps this is where the cheap comes from, perhaps the broadband service is subsidised in some way.)

Bottom line: I don't see this benefiting all but a few and even then it's a platform that's just getting off the ground (if you'll pardon the pun)and likely to be problematic rather than one that delivers rock-solid reliability.

Of course, IANAA (I am not an Australian), so would any of our more leaned, koala-loving friends care to give their perspective?