PhoneSat — NASA’s smartphone nanosatellite
August 29, 2012
The coffee-cup-size Android-powered PhoneSat during a high-altitude balloon test (credit: NASA Ames Research Center)
NASA’s new PhoneSat project at Ames Research Center will soon demonstrate the ability to launch the lowest-cost and easiest-to-build satellites ever flown in space by using consumer smartphones.
Smartphones already offer a wealth of capabilities needed for satellite systems, including fast processors, versatile operating systems, multiple miniature sensors, high-resolution cameras, GPS receivers, and several radios.
NASA engineers kept the total cost of the components to build each of the three prototype satellites in the PhoneSat project to $3,500 by using only commercial-off-the-shelf hardware and keeping the design and mission objectives to a minimum for the first flight.
Each NASA PhoneSat nanosatellite is one standard CubeSat unit in size and weighs less than four pounds. (A CubeSat is a miniaturized satellite in the shape of a cube that measures approximately 4 inches.)
PhoneSat 1.0
NASA’s prototype smartphone satellite, known as PhoneSat 1.0, is built around the Nexus One smartphone made by HTC Corp., running the Android operating system. The Nexus One acts as the spacecraft onboard computer. Sensors determine the orientation of the spacecraft and the smartphone’s camera can be used for Earth observations. Commercial-off-the-shelf parts include a watchdog circuit that monitors the systems and reboots the phone if it stops sending radio signals.
NASA’s PhoneSat 1.0 satellite has a basic mission goal — to stay alive in space for a short period of time, sending back digital imagery of Earth and space via its camera, while also sending back information about the satellite’s health.
PhoneSat 2.0
NASA’s PhoneSat 2.0 will equip a newer Nexus S smartphone made by Samsung Electronics running Android to provide a faster core processor, avionics, and gyroscopes.
PhoneSat 2.0 also will supplement the capabilities of PhoneSat 1.0 by adding a two-way S-band (microwave) radio to allow engineers to command the satellite from Earth, solar panels to enable longer-duration missions, and a GPS receiver. In addition, PhoneSat 2.0 will add magnetorquer coils — electromagnets that interact with Earth’s magnetic field — and reaction wheels to actively control the satellite’s orientation in space.
The Future of PhoneSat
NASA’s PhoneSat 2.0 will lay the foundation for new capabilities for small-sized satellites while advancing breakthrough technologies and decreasing costs of future small spacecraft.
Expected to launch in 2013, NASA’s upcoming Edison Demonstration of Small Satellite Networks mission — part of the Small Spacecraft Technology Program — will demonstrate the possibility of conducting heliophysics measurements using small spacecraft.
Three NASA PhoneSats systems (two PhoneSat 1.0′s and one PhoneSat 2.0) are scheduled to launch aboard the maiden flight of Orbital Sciences Corporation’s Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility at Wallops Island, Va., later this year.
Comments (10)
by Dan
These nano sats have huge potential. Think about it. You could launch some with hi def cameras put them in LEO and you would have a constellation that could only have been dreamed about only a few decades ago. With launches getting cheaper it is only a matter of time until were seeing more if these in actual use. Maybe this time Faster, Better and Cheaper is actually possible.
by A4i
Google lunched few balloons last year. Before that there was DIY project on youtube with the same mission. That smartphone satellite thing is extremely potential combo. Someone should build DIY kit and Android app for space research. Kudos for NASA.
by Timothy
How about a prototype space elevator, just strong enough to place a small payload into orbit? Once that works, you use it to haul up additional materials to make it stronger and thicker.
The magnetorquer coils jumped out at me too–very clever concept, and cool name.
by Bri
Space elevator are a long way off. How fast do you want the elevator to go? Think about it. It’s a long way to orbit. What motor powered by what means. They’ve got a lot of work to do before that becomes a reality, even then it will have many restrictions.
by Bri
Reading the headline I thought the satellite was nano sized! This will help with space junk to. Now if they can only harden it, and launch it by electromagnetic rail gun, we’d really be in business.
by Gorden Russell
Sure, railgun launching has to be the next big step…and did you grok upon the magnetorquer coils? What a great idea, keeping the satellite oriented without using rocket fuel. These guys are great thinkers.
by Gorden Russell
I just thought of something. With small sats launched by rail, soldiers in the field will be able to call up sats to watch the enemy while they are in a firefight.
by Thomas Jensen
Railgun launching will only work with the most durable, tough satellites, unless the railgun is very long and can gradually build up speed over a long distance like a rocket. Forget something small enough to be used by troops in the field.
Spying on enemy troops from orbit also requires a large satellite with a large telescope, since it’s going to be at least 200km away from its target. That is why spy satellites are very large. They are actually more or less the same size as the Hubble Space Telescope and operate around the same basic principle. The real difference is that while the HST is pointed away from earth, the spy satellite is pointed towards it!
A robot drone is much simpler to use and is not only far cheaper than a satellite, but can also be used without much advanced technology at all. A laptop PC, a radio control and a few other things and you’re in business. A 3 feet wide drone flying at an altitude of about 1000 meters is going to be extremely difficult to shoot down, if you can see it at all! No need for satellites.
by Bri
The G forces of rail guns are tremendous. That’s why I said it would have to be hardened. They also work better on small objects, that’s why I suggested them for these micro satellites. We fly planes around with those funky looking flying saucer shaped communication dishes on top. It presents a moving target. A satellite would be an easy target for a high tech opponent. Those Hubble pointed at earth satellites are strictly for spying. They can only resolve one target at a time. The pictures of Bin ladens compound were from lesser versions of that idea. The Hubble one can resolve the few photons that make it through clouds, or read a match book cover. They never release pictures from them. They are classified. It would tip off an opponent as to our capabilities.
by Thomas Jensen
Reaction wheels or gyroscopes used to control satellite orientation without burning rocket fuel is nothing new. They are used on the Hubble Space Telescope, which is designed in the late 1970′ies – early 80′ies.