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DIY Live Photos From ISS

Posted by kdawson on from the snaps-populi dept.

leighklotz writes "The international amateur satellite organization AMSAT is reporting live reception of TV images directly from the orbiting ISS via the ARISS-SSTV project. The images are said to be preparations for the upcoming visit to the ISS by Richard Garriot (W5KWQ), which will provide images from space as part of the Windows on Earth project."

42 comments

  1. Re:Apple really sucks by sexconker · · Score: 1

    And You? Where do you want to go today?
    It's almost 5, I want to go home.

  2. Yeah, but . . . by StefanJ · · Score: 1

    . . . will we get to see Garriot continue on to Planet X to get a blessing from Father Antos?

  3. Nice! by DJ+DeFi · · Score: 3, Funny

    This page is used to test the proper operation of the Apache HTTP server after it has been installed. If you can read this page, it means that the web server installed at this site is working properly, but has not yet been configured.

    --
    You cannot warp because you are warp scrambled.
    1. Re:Nice! by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 1

      If you are a member of the general public:

      The fact that you are seeing this page indicates that the website you just visited is either experiencing problems, or is undergoing routine maintenance.

      If you would like to let the administrators of this website know that you've seen this page instead of the page you expected, you should send them e-mail. In general, mail sent to the name "webmaster" and directed to the website's domain should reach the appropriate person.

      For example, if you experienced problems while visiting www.example.com, you should send e-mail to "webmaster@example.com".

      For information on Fedora, please visit the Fedora Project website.

    2. Re:Nice! by sharkman67 · · Score: 2, Informative

      That's because the url in the article is wrong. AMSAT is http://www.amsat.org/

  4. Re:Apple really sucks by Finallyjoined!!! · · Score: 1

    You really need to get out more.

    --
    If I had an Ass, I'd call it Fanny Bottom, then I could slap my Ass; Fanny Bottom, on the Arse.
  5. Windows on Earth? by SEWilco · · Score: 3, Funny

    Windows on Earth? I thought the Microsoft license forbade such a large use. Well, it will be interesting to see what breaks.

    1. Re:Windows on Earth? by nog_lorp · · Score: 4, Funny

      Get your BSOD shelters ready...

    2. Re:Windows on Earth? by SEWilco · · Score: 1

      "Nothing but blue skies / Do I see"

  6. I have a question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    What would happen if a non-Governmental body - something like, say Wikipedia, only with money, or maybe a slightly eccentric billionaire - were to put ultra high resolution imagers into orbit, with the same capabilities as secret spy satellites and permitted anybody to look at anywhere on Earth - anywhere , at anytime, and pay nothing, or perhaps a token fee? Would the birds be shot down? Would the government (any government) pass legislation forbidding the use of the high-res imagery except by "approved" organisations?

    Yeah, I know, not a particularly realistic scenario, but I am interested in any answers.

    1. Re:I have a question... by dlgeek · · Score: 2, Informative

      There are already regulations prohibiting publishing images above a certain resolution. See the thread the other day on the new google (branded) satellite for more info.

    2. Re:I have a question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      What would happen if the satellite was launched secretly, or the info regarding the imager was witheld before launch, so that there was no chance for the government to prevent it being put into orbit? And what if the satellite was "Open Sourced"...that is, the owner/launcher relinquished control of it to nobody? SO you have this satellite with high res imager capable of seeing with the same resolution as a military/intelligence satellite, but nobody owns it, nobody is in charge of it, (no person or organisation which could be prosecuted, sued, or forced to shut it off), but which could be used by anybody with a web browser?

    3. Re:I have a question... by Ihmhi · · Score: 1

      Then I'm pretty sure they'd have to answer to the FAA...

      --
      Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
    4. Re:I have a question... by c6gunner · · Score: 1

      They'd put the paparazzi out of businesses.

    5. Re:I have a question... by guruevi · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually, with Google shooting (or at least helping out) stuff in orbit that scenario seems to be quite realistic. Nowadays it's just too expensive and not very cost effective to shoot a hunk-a-junk with a camera into space and let everyone have access to it (especially since it would most likely bankrupt the companies that rely on reselling their imagery) but I think Google and the like might actually be able to pull it off, if not just for a marketing stunt. The images would most likely also have to be post-processed so live-viewing is not really an option there. But if a government can do it, so can a private organization (with loads of money) and as far as the law goes, go somewhere where the law doesn't have such a fascist grip on what a free man (or corporation) can do in free space (Outer Space Treaty)

      --
      Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
    6. Re:I have a question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It won't happen. The cost and resources required to launch enough satellites into orbit to allow contant monitoring of the surface is huge. Not to mention the logistics of recieving those images back on earth. The reason the they can do it from the ISS is because it is because the ISS is in a much higher orbit than Remote Sensing Satellites, but this means that the possible resolution is greatly deminished.

      This means you can't zoom in to see yourself waving at the satellite!!

    7. Re:I have a question... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      Sure, American legislation, which doesn't apply to other countries or space. Wikipedia for instance doesn't really have a country of origin.

      The most they could do is to shut down the DNS if its in America and/or block it from within America.

      Like what happened with Wikileaks, which was just a domain name block and easily accessible using DNS names such as .be

      I don't really understand what the problem is with hires sat images, they are already hires enough to see things like tanks, military base layouts and such.

    8. Re:I have a question... by Golddess · · Score: 1

      The US owns the world now? But a little more seriously, perhaps they'd quietly contract a hit out on the satellite to the Chinese. They've already shown an ability to blowup satellites in orbit.

      --
      "I'm not sure I like the fugnutish tone you used in your post!" -RogL (608926)-
    9. Re:I have a question... by dlgeek · · Score: 1

      And where would you launch it?

      I would think most places with the capabilities to launch a satellite like that would have laws restricting it's use.

    10. Re:I have a question... by denttford · · Score: 1

      Glorious Nation of Khazakstan!

      --

      Leben Sie jetzt die Fragen.
  7. Down down down by shaitand · · Score: 1

    That crashed pretty quick, only 8 comments and the site is already down.

    I want pretty pictures damnit!!!

  8. So.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This 'Windows on Earth' thing..

    What operating systems can it be used with?

  9. 145.800 megahertz by atomicthumbs · · Score: 3, Informative

    ... is the downlink frequency. Listen! Use MMSSTV to decode. Sadly, I can barely hear it at 5:10 PM in California with my HT. I need a better antenna. :(

    --
    http://pinopsida.com
    1. Re:145.800 megahertz by kd5zex · · Score: 1

      Last I heard SSTV was all but done for due to people transmitting pron. Whats your experience?

      On a semi-side note, I wonder if anyone has transmitted goatse?

    2. Re:145.800 megahertz by atomicthumbs · · Score: 1

      Never heard of anything like that. If that were the case, any mode allowing transmission of data would be dead. SSTV (from what I hear) is alive and well. KI6EFA

      --
      http://pinopsida.com
    3. Re:145.800 megahertz by kd5zex · · Score: 1

      Could very well be, I have not so much as keyed mic in over a year. I probably read it in some old timers article (read: troll / flame) on eham.net or something. Not that I have anything against old timers, the incessant whining does get old however. "Back in my day there was no phone, if you could copy CW at 4000 WPM you recieved until you could..." ;) 73, kd5zex

    4. Re:145.800 megahertz by vonart · · Score: 1

      Well, I know that the local SSTV net here is still somewhat active. I've caught a decent amount of it while traveling as well. I'd say it's not dead yet, even if it is in a bit of a decline. 73, K1PUP

      --
      The American Dream has too much grinding and the leveling makes no sense. -GameboyRMH (1153867)
    5. Re:145.800 megahertz by vonart · · Score: 1

      ...whoops. I misread that. Preview would have been my friend. Let me add that I've not seen anything like that transmitted on SSTV, nor have even heard about that happening.

      73 once more,
      K1PUP

      P.S. Wow, I sure hope nobody has transmitted /that/...

      --
      The American Dream has too much grinding and the leveling makes no sense. -GameboyRMH (1153867)
    6. Re:145.800 megahertz by Gordonjcp · · Score: 3, Informative

      Have a look for the WA5VJB "Cheap Yagi" articles. They are fairly easy to make, and give quite an improvement. I built a crossed 2m/70cm yagi - 3 ele on 2m, 5 ele on 70cm, with a diplexer - for LEO satellite work. It took about an hour, all told. I found that tuning up the 2m end was a bit tricky because the tuning is fairly "narrow", but if you're receiving that shouldn't be a biggie. If you can hear the ISS *at all* with an HT's rubber duck, then even a bad 3 element yagi will help!

      You might also try angling the radio so that the rubber duck antenna is perpendicular to the satellite pass. Think about it - the antenna has a radiation pattern like a doughnut, so you want that to have its widest point looking at the satellite. Another thing to try is holding it above a car roof or bonnet (yes, really), so that it acts like a reflector. Experiment to find the best distance - you'll hear quite a sharp peak. This actually works best with UHF downlinks, but it should work with VHF too if your car is big enough ;-)

    7. Re:145.800 megahertz by kd5zex · · Score: 1

      Here is an example of what I was thinking of SSTV, pr0n and you

    8. Re:145.800 megahertz by Gordonjcp · · Score: 1

      Just to reply to myself - here's an SSTV image received with a simple J-pole antenna and a 20-year-old mobile transceiver!

      http://www.gjcp.net/~gordonjcp/na1ss.jpg

      Even with the ISS at 25 degrees elevation, it was a very very strong signal.

  10. Source for non-slashdotted pix by leighklotz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Their blog has a few of the test pictures received (of of Exp. 17 Commander) Sergei Volkov. These were received in Portugal and the US. Other images will doubtless show on their blogspot site one Garriot gets involted.

    1. Re:Source for non-slashdotted pix by MerlTurkin · · Score: 1

      Excellent images! Nice job! Ham radio RULES!

  11. RAFA? What's wrong with you! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm a Slashdotter, FFS. But thanks for the info. :)

  12. Hams RULE! by MerlTurkin · · Score: 1

    SSTV is cool! I'm not set up for it now but I was for Mir. Have fun Hams! Got to get set up again! 73!

  13. Wow! just wow! by LVSlushdat · · Score: 1

    Wow! I never knew there was a live camera onboard the ISS.. Guess I gotta get back active again.. Haven't touched a mike or key in over 3 years, but just renewed the ticket..

    73 K7DGF

    --
    THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
  14. TV, but not video by Rastloser · · Score: 1

    For all the non-hams reading this, it should be pointed out that SSTV transmits images based on the same technical principles as television, but that it's not video. The transmission of a single "frame" takes several dozen seconds. This has several advantages, however. The greatest is probably that the requirements for signal quality and receiving equipment are much lower than for TV, meaning that anyone interested will be able to pick up those images with relatively little tech on the ground.

  15. Holy Linkage Batman! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Am the only one that thinks there were way too many links in that summary?

  16. if you are getting pr0n via SSTV... by filthpickle · · Score: 1

    you are doing it wrong.

  17. More new pix from Oct 16 on the blogspot site by leighklotz · · Score: 1

    There are more new pix, this time with the earth in them, from October 16

  18. Which link to click on? by BeanBunny · · Score: 1

    With no fewer than six links in the summary, which one actually points to the photos being referenced?

    I'd click them all, but I only have time to write this indignant comment.