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Build Your Own Satellite For Less Than $30K
schwit1 writes An industry of new cubesat builders can now build satellites for anyone for any reason for very little money. From the article: "The miniaturization of technology allows people to do more with less hardware, said Chad Anderson, the managing director of Space Angels Network, an investment house specializing in the space industry. That industry, he said, was worth $300bn (£200bn) last year. Constellations of smaller satellites, like those suggested as tracking devices for planes over oceans, are now a possibility. 'The launch costs are coming down and people leveraging today's technology are able to do more with less and launch less mass to orbit. The price point has come down to where start-ups and entrepreneurs can really make an impact on the scene for the first time,' he said." When the first tiny satellite launch companies arrive, expect this industry to blossom at an astonishing rate.
All this time and money spent worrying about what to do with the problem of space junk and garbage that could be deadly to astronauts, but if you can scap together a few bucks you can get your shiny new junk launched! Because it is intentional, therefore it is not junk?
You know you want to.
That's still twice as expensive as KSP and there you can even see your imaginary sats getting put into orbit.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Note that most small satellites are launched into low Earth orbit and that the orbit decays quickly. There is not a continuing issue of space junk for such payloads, nor do they cross the Van Allen radiation belts so rad-hardness is not as much of an issue.
It'll be very nice when we can launch one for $30K, but that day is not here. When I see AMSAT getting launches at that price, I will believe it.
Bruce Perens.
... Find At Home"
Waiting for someone to filk this in 3...2...1....
Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
At least in the U.S., the launching of satellites is heavily regulated. That's because the same technology that is used to launch mini toaster satellites into orbit is the same tech used to launch high yield explosives into orbit. It isn't just about space junk. Its about dual use strategic weapons technology. If the FAA won't let people flying heli drones at 250 feet, there is no way they will allow ordinary citizens to put up a different kind of drone at LEO or even GSO.
There was an article a couple of years ago on /. about a company that would launch something the size of a coke can for $300.
I think there should be an open source project to design a satellite that is the size of a coke can. Could be fun, maybe some arduino's, a few solar cells, maybe a miniature ion engine that runs on a CO2 canister from a pellet gun. It could be a lot of fun to see just how much you can fit inside a coke can.
I can build by own satellite for under $3. Granted it will be comprised of a solar panel and an LED that blinks once a second, but no one ever said it actually needed to do anything.
Better known as 318230.
Is the industry that expensive even with everyone using a $30k satellite? Or does a $300B market rely on satellites costing closer to $1B each?
These sats seem ideal for someone to design a rail gun launching system, the should be able to take the stress and they are small enough that the rail gun size wouldn't break the bank.
"If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
The title of the article is "The innovators: build and launch your own satellite ... for £20,000"
The $30k includes putting it in orbit.
Included in your $30k. It's a 5 cubic centimetre satellite, but its still a satellite.
Good luck with your ground stations to receive and transmit data.
Also, good luck hosting a torrent tracker in a few grams and 5cm3 of space.
Also, be prepared to launch a new one a couple of times a year, since it will de-orbit itself if it's in low-earth-orbit. An orbit further away with zero atmospheric drag will cost a lot more.