2013 Launch: NASA 'Nanosatellites' w/Smartphone Technology

PhoneSat: Smart, Small and Sassy

Dec. 28, 2012 — The fast-paced proliferation and popularity of mobile devices here on Earth, like smartphones loaded with powerful operating systems, will find a new niche market- this time in space, thanks to NASA's trailblazing PhoneSat project.

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PhoneSat 1.0 during high-altitude balloon test. (Credit: NASA Ames Research Center)

To be rocketed into space early next year, PhoneSat is set to showcase use of lower cost, off-the-store-shelf, commercially available technology that enables space commerce, educational activities and citizen-exploration.

There are three prototype satellites built for launch in the PhoneSat Project, each a "nanosatellite" that is a 4-inch cube and weighs just three pounds. The three PhoneSats are dubbed Alexander, Graham, and Bell.

Popular Science magazine has chosen the NASA Ames Research Center's PhoneSat project as one of the winners in the Aerospace category for their "Best of What's New 2012" awards. PhoneSat is a demonstration project to build, launch and fly one of the lowest-cost, easiest-to-build satellites in space.

During the PhoneSat Project's time in orbit, a global amateur radio community will be engaged, able to download and upload packets of data. Wolfe is anxious to see how they creatively utilize the Earth orbiting PhoneSats.

More - Link >>> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121228100210.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily%2Fspace_time+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Space+%26+Time+News%29&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail

More on PhoneSat from NASA:
Link >>> http://www.nasa.gov/offices/oct/stp/small_satellite_subsystem_tech/phonesat.html

Sources: NASA, ScienceDaily.com .

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
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