Launching the Crowds into Space
NASA’s Curiosity is currently beaming back superb images of Mars, another landmark achievement in the history of space exploration.
But it’s not just government agencies that get to explore the cosmos; you can too with a crowdfunded satellite project.
Next Stop: The Stars
A fundraising effort is underway on the Kickstarter website for a nano-satellite called SkyCube. It is destined for a three month orbit during which time it will take images of the Earth and deliver tweets to smartphones running the SkyCube app.
The overall aim of the endeavor is to open up space exploration to the general public and to get them to participate in an active mission.
The funding goal is $82,500 and with 35 days to go before Kickstarter’s funding deadline closes nearly half that amount has been raised.
Depending on how much they pledge backers will be able to have their own short messages broadcast as well as request pictures to be taken of various parts of our planet.
Inspiration
The idea for the mission came after project leader Tim DeBenedictis witnessed the last space shuttle launch in July 2011. Inspired by the end of this particular chapter in space exploration he decided to do something that would continue with the spirit of the program.
He thought about launching his own satellite but soon came to the conclusion that building a rocket was beyond his means. Then he heard about Cubesat, a low-cost method of building small satellites that are just 10 centimeters cubed, and SkyCube was born.
The Cubesat program began in 1989 and today a number of space agencies make room available on their launches for a few of the box-shaped satellites.
Get Ready for SkyCube Blast Off
The launch has already been booked and the first deposit has been paid, but to make the mission a reality more money is needed. All being well SkyCube will leave the planet some time in 2013 as a secondary payload on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
To find out more about SkyCube visit its funding page at Kickstarter.
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