Author Topic: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite  (Read 16125 times)

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Offline EEVblogTopic starter

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EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« on: September 15, 2013, 12:02:47 pm »
Jonathan Oxer from Freetronics talks about the Ardusat project and shows his Arduino based cluster board for running Arduino sketches in space at the Melbourne Connected Community Hackerspace
http://www.freetronics.com/pages/ardusat-the-arduino-satellite
https://ardusat.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArduSat

 

Offline DutchGert

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2013, 03:23:14 pm »
CubeSat's are one of the coolest things to work on. During my 4 months time in South Africa last year I helped the ESL team from Stellenbosch University with some of there designs. Very cool idea that some of the things u make are actually floating in space (or racing around the earth).

Kind of curious to see how they power this thing since i worked on a psu design back then.
 

Offline jancumps

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2013, 06:13:48 pm »
It's almost unimaginable, the opportunities you have in science these days. The manned space program may be on a low, but scientists and engineers stay inventive non the less.
 

Offline Kjelt

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2013, 06:27:16 pm »
Raises more questions  :-// :
- why didn't they put the 16 controllers in a neat 4 by 4 matrix but now they are (randomly?) scattered over the board?
- what inputs and outputs do these controllers have and are they really independent of eachother?
 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2013, 06:42:19 pm »
- why didn't they put the 16 controllers in a neat 4 by 4 matrix but now they are (randomly?) scattered over the board?

Looks like it just turned out to be easiest way to route. That, and there's also stuff on the bottom side, which may have affected the symmetry or lack thereof. Or maybe it's on purpose to test the effects on temperature of different power densities on the board, but I seriously doubt that.

Other than that, thanks for the video Dave!  :-+ Really like the concept of cubesats, and may we see many more small scale experimentation like that.
 

Offline PA0PBZ

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #5 on: September 15, 2013, 07:27:37 pm »
- why didn't they put the 16 controllers in a neat 4 by 4 matrix but now they are (randomly?) scattered over the board?

Mounting holes in the pcb, you can't put a controller where a mounting hole is, and stuff (like connectors) on the bottom of the pcb.

See this at 28:00:

« Last Edit: September 15, 2013, 07:29:29 pm by PA0PBZ »
Keyboard error: Press F1 to continue.
 

Offline Kjelt

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #6 on: September 15, 2013, 08:07:33 pm »
Mounting holes in the pcb, you can't put a controller where a mounting hole is, and stuff (like connectors) on the bottom of the pcb. 
I now see it :-+ , the guy in the original clip in the 1st post, used only the 4 outside holes.
 

Offline wblackledg

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2013, 03:09:12 am »
What is the chip that replaces the arduino?  If you want a "mini" arduino is that something you can make yourself or buy?

thanks
 

Offline jancumps

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2013, 06:04:17 am »
ATmega328P
 

Offline peter.mitchell

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #9 on: September 16, 2013, 10:44:41 am »
I'm still not sure i get the purpose of this?
 

Offline amyk

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2013, 11:51:03 am »
ATmega328P
No rad-hard/space-qualified version either.

Would be interesting to see how long it lasts... there's a reason military/aerospace parts cost a LOT more than regular ones!
 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2013, 11:55:13 am »
The purpose of cubesats in general, or this Ardusat in particular? Particular: to have 16 sketches that can be uploaded by random people running in space, all attempting to crash the hypervisor. That, or access the sensors and do fun stuff with it. Purpose of cubesats in general is easy: cubesats are cool! ;D
 

Offline peter.mitchell

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2013, 01:02:06 pm »
The purpose of cubesats in general, or this Ardusat in particular? Particular: to have 16 sketches that can be uploaded by random people running in space, all attempting to crash the hypervisor. That, or access the sensors and do fun stuff with it. Purpose of cubesats in general is easy: cubesats are cool! ;D

Is that like the free software thing?
How do you make a profit on free software? Volume!

Seriously, I don't see what "experiments" can be carried out on a cubesat that a) haven't been done yet, b) couldn't be just as easily done from earth or c) the results worked out with some easy theory.
 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #13 on: September 16, 2013, 01:25:41 pm »
Seriously, I don't see what "experiments" can be carried out on a cubesat that a) haven't been done yet, b) couldn't be just as easily done from earth or c) the results worked out with some easy theory.

I for one would find it neat to play around with two tethered cubes and magnetorquers to see if you can get some altitude control as well. Or play around a bit with cube-to-cube communications.

Is it meaningful? Probably not on a cosmic scale. But who cares, as long as you learn something new in the process.
 

Offline DutchGert

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #14 on: September 16, 2013, 01:41:50 pm »
The purpose of cubesats in general, or this Ardusat in particular? Particular: to have 16 sketches that can be uploaded by random people running in space, all attempting to crash the hypervisor. That, or access the sensors and do fun stuff with it. Purpose of cubesats in general is easy: cubesats are cool! ;D

Is that like the free software thing?
How do you make a profit on free software? Volume!

Seriously, I don't see what "experiments" can be carried out on a cubesat that a) haven't been done yet, b) couldn't be just as easily done from earth or c) the results worked out with some easy theory.

The main and very big advantage of cubesat's is that they are cheap! Very cheap even compared to the more mature big brothers.

Right now a lot of companies and universities are looking into them to use them for programs which would not be able to generate money or simply couldnt be accieved if they needed a 'big' satelite for it.

I for example worked for Stellenbosch University in South Africa, with there cubesat's there will be able to do agricultural measurements from space that potentially could help some of the more underdevelopted countries in Africa with there agriculture.
Also, in my own country (Netherlands) there is a company that is developing a coastal tracking system for ships, something that would not have been possible without cubesat's (http://www.isispace.nl/cms/index.php/projects/triton-missions)

Also, they are a great way for students to learn about navigation, flightcomputers, reliablilety design etc.
Ans above all, ther plain fun ;)!
 

Offline KedasProbe

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #15 on: September 16, 2013, 01:49:03 pm »
Also, in my own country (Netherlands) there is a company that is developing a coastal tracking system for ships, something that would not have been possible without cubesat's (http://www.isispace.nl/cms/index.php/projects/triton-missions)
No matter how you look at it you have to like it, resistance is futile.
« Last Edit: September 16, 2013, 01:50:42 pm by KedasProbe »
Not everything that counts can be measured. Not everything that can be measured counts.
[W. Bruce Cameron]
 

Offline mrflibble

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #16 on: September 16, 2013, 01:50:38 pm »
The main and very big advantage of cubesat's is that they are cheap! Very cheap even compared to the more mature big brothers.

How cheap is very cheap?
 

Offline DutchGert

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #17 on: September 16, 2013, 01:58:21 pm »
The main and very big advantage of cubesat's is that they are cheap! Very cheap even compared to the more mature big brothers.

How cheap is very cheap?

To build and launch a CubeSat would cost u about $100.000. U just buy a flightcomputer, powermanmagement, communication and some other modules from http://www.cubesatshop.com/ and the thing will fly, navigate and do all other basic stuff a 'real' satelite would do.
Than u make a 'payload' module for your specific application (lets say a IR cam or whatever) an build a 1U or bigger cube.
So the only engineering time goes into making the payload, the rest of the 'satalite stuff' is taken care of by the modules u buy and integration and launch can be done by a company like Isis Space.

If u would like to use a 'big' satelite it would cost u years and years of engineering and probably a minimum of $10.000.000 or even a lot more.

That's the real (potential) power of CubeSat's: cheap and fast to develop.
 

Offline wblackledg

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #18 on: September 16, 2013, 01:59:48 pm »
I got on their website and as best  I can see if you split the cost with 3 others its $125 for 3 days.

I would like to see a list / diagram or something that shows what all is on the cubesat and what you can interface with.  paying $125 to for the bragging rights to say you have run "Hello World" in space, sounds cool until you explain to your XYL you spent $125 for the bragging rights to say you ran "Hello World" in space.   :-DD

So there must be more to it than just that.
please advise.   :D
« Last Edit: September 16, 2013, 05:03:32 pm by wblackledg »
 

Offline wblackledg

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #19 on: September 16, 2013, 02:08:48 pm »
Telemetry data.
He also said the frequencies are published showing the telemetry data for 2 meter and 70cm armature bands.  I didn’t see that on the website.  There is a sign up section that I didn’t fill out the registration for.  Is that where I can find the radio info?

thanks
 

Offline wblackledg

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Re: EEVblog #519 - Ardusat Arduino Based CubeSat Satellite
« Reply #20 on: September 16, 2013, 02:19:21 pm »
Telemetry data.
He also said the frequencies are published showing the telemetry data for 2 meter and 70cm armature bands.  I didn’t see that on the website.  There is a sign up section that I didn’t fill out the registration for.  Is that where I can find the radio info?

thanks

I found this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArduSat
 


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