Explore the Final Front Yard
Want to build a satellite without an astronomical budget? NEDsat lets you simulate space tech in your front yard — no rocket required.
The advent of commercial space travel has dramatically slashed the costs of getting into orbit around our planet. Combine that fact with the technological advances that have made nanosatellites like the CubeSat possible, and we now live in a world where putting a satellite into space does not require the efforts and budget of a nation. But even still, it is not exactly like sending away for a custom PCB — the expenses are still way over the budget of virtually all hobbyists.
An engineer named Michal at Hackaday.io came up with an interesting idea recently that can help space enthusiasts to scratch the itch of putting a satellite into space, all while keeping their hardware planted right here on Earth. Michal developed what is called the NEDsat, a quasi-satellite that can stay right in your front yard. What good is that, exactly? Well, the platform enables tinkerers to experiment with solar power, long-range communications, sensing, and all of the other things a real satellite needs — all without the expense of a ride beyond the atmosphere. And if something does go wrong, all is not lost — just walk on over and debug it.
The goal, of course, is to design something that does not need maintenance or repairs. If it can stay powered up, operating, and communicating for long periods of time, it might just be close to a design that could really make it in space. Of course simulating the vacuum, temperature, and radiation levels is another thing entirely, but you have got to start somewhere.
Michal’s implementation of NEDsat is built around a Microchip ATmega328P microcontroller (the same chip found in the Arduino Uno) clocked at 8MHz. A DFRobot Gravity with a MAX17043 chip measures the battery status in voltage and percentage remaining, while a INA219 chip measures current output from a solar panel that is installed on the top of NEDsat. A DS18B20 chip was also included for temperature measurement. Communication is primarily handled by a SRX882 RF module operating at 433MHz, which continually transmits the status of the battery.
If there is enough power, a Bluetooth module transmits the same data, although this module would not be of much use if it actually were in space — unless some little green men happen to be in the area. There is also a plastic waterproof case that is great for Earth, but again, not of much use in orbit.
The hardware build is quite straightforward, and Michal has made the firmware for the microcontroller freely available. Go grab it if you want to experiment with satellites sans rockets.
