PSLV to launch first smartphone-controlled nano satellite
23 Feb 2013
PSLV-C20, the 23rd mission of the Indian Space Research Organisation's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, will put the world's first smartphone-controlled nano satellite along with the 400-kg Indo-French satellite SARAL and five other satellites into orbit on Monday.
''The 59-hour countdown of PSLV - C20 / SARAL mission commenced at 6:56 hours (IST) today (23 February) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, at Sriharikota,'' an ISRO release said today.
A Google Nexus One mobile device running on the Android operating system will be used to control the British-built STRaND-1 (Surrey Training, Research and Nanosatellite Demonstrator), ISRO said.
The nano satellite, to be launched into the orbit around the Earth on Monday, with a high definition camera is part of a six-month orbiting mission.
The mobile phone in STRaND will run a number of applications to collect scientific data, including taking pictures of the earth on demand as also some outreach applications.
Once launched, the ground station at the Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey will take over monitoring of the satellite.