Antunes - DIY Satellite Platforms

Copyright 2012 Sandy Antunes

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Important Message to Our Readers: The technologies discussed in this publication, the limitations on these technologies that technology and content owners seek to impose, and the laws actually limiting the use of these technologies are constantly changing. Thus, some of the projects described in this publication may not work, may cause unintended harm to systems on which they are used, or may not be consistent with current laws or applicable user agreements.

Your safety is your own responsibility, including proper use of equipment and safety gear, and determining whether you have adequate skill and experience. Electricity and other resources used for these projects are dangerous unless used properly and with adequate precautions, including safety gear. These projects are not intended for use by children. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, OReilly Media, Inc., and the authors assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Use of the instructions and suggestions in DIY Satellite Platforms is at your own risk. OReilly Media, Inc., and the authors disclaim all responsibility for any resulting damage, injury, or expense. It is your responsibility to make sure that your activities comply with applicable laws, including copyright.

Can any hobbyist build a satellite? Our DIY guide steps you through designing and building a base picosatellite platform tough enough to withstand launch and survive in orbit. If you have basic maker skills, you can build a space-ready solar-powered computer-controlled assembly suitable for attaching instruments and rocketing into space.

Our fundamental premise is that anyone can build a satellite. In , we cover things you can do in space, science and engineering concepts, art/science hybrids, AMSATs, and the potential for advanced concepts such as constellations of satellites. Invent the future!

then looks at the primary picosatellite chassis that you will use. Choose CubeSats or TubeSats, and youll find a variety of rigid frame designs, all with the purpose of giving you an instrument bay for your mad experiment.

provides a quick overview of flyable Arduino and BasicX-24 onboard processors.

To get it up there, youll need a rocket (.

By the end of this book, you should have a strong grounding in the requirements for building a picosatellite that will launch into space. We also recommend the other books in this series: our design, testing and integration book Surviving Orbit the DIY Way , designing a mission goal using the power of science with DIY Instruments for Amateur Space , and getting your data back to ground with DIY Data Communications for Amateur Spacecraft .

In the meantime, I have picosatellites to build! (See .)

Figure 1. A TubeSat-style picosatellite being built

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Using Code Examples

This book is here to help you get your job done. In general, you may use the code in this book in your programs and documentation. You do not need to contact us for permission unless youre reproducing a significant portion of the code. For example, writing a program that uses several chunks of code from this book does not require permission. Selling or distributing a CD-ROM of examples from OReilly books does require permission. Answering a question by citing this book and quoting example code does not require permission. Incorporating a significant amount of example code from this book into your products documentation does require permission.

We appreciate, but do not require, attribution. An attribution usually includes the title, author, publisher, and ISBN. For example: DIY Satellite Platforms by Sandy Antunes (OReilly). Copyright 2012 Sandy Antunes, 978-1-4493-1060-8.

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