The satellite is called “Strand-1.” The project is headed by Surrey
Space Center (SSC) and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL)
located in Guildford, England.
The satellite is scheduled to be
launched at the end of February from India and part of the spacecraft’s
mission will be controlled by a Google Nexus One handset. The device is
connected to the satellite’s systems via USB cable and has not been
physically modified in any way.
Obviously it has some rather
customized software in it, but otherwise, “We haven’t gutted the Nexus.
We’ve done lots and lots of tests on it; we’ve put our own software on
it. But we’ve essentially got a regular phone, connected up the USB to
it and put it in the satellite,” according to SSC’s lead engineer, Dr.
Chris Bridges.
The Nexus One will be placed along the side of the
inside of the satellite where its 5MP camera will be able to take
pictures through a window on the rectangular shaped spacecraft. Strand
is actually an acronym for Surrey Training Research and Nanosatellite
Demonstration. That is right, “nanosatellite,” as this whole apparatus
is only about 30cm long, and weighs about 4.3kg.
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