Private Space Satellite Project

[JohnCli]

I finished launching my first ever Space Camera and it was a success until my camera crashed and sunk into the deep waters of Manila Bay, I was lucky that my mom suggested to use a water proof casing for the camera which helped a lot.

 

Now I'm aiming to launch a DIY amateur Space Satellite that I can use for...well confidential purposes and as a means of winning a competition and hopefully this might help me getting accepted in MIT or CalTech next year since I'm turning 16 and

I ain't getting any younger.

 

Funding isn't a problem thanks to my parents, it's the liability, I'm always afraid that it might somehow crash and damage building or other satellites because of miscalculation or because I failed to design it properly.

 

I just thought of this just now and I'm kinda in the most early stages of building one or let alone design one.

 

 

 

[CaptainPanic]

Just for the record, are we talking about a satellite in orbit... or a satellite which is in a ballistic trajectory and will fall back to earth after launch?

 

Also, just for the record, if you are planning to launch an actual rocket to anything above 1 km (or perhaps even 0.5 km), you might want to contact local authorities and/or the aviation authorities. You don't even have to hit an airplane to get into trouble with the authorities. Shooting rockets to high altitudes and/or long distances will eventually be seen as a crime, or even terrorism. This is no joke.

 

My advice: join a rocket club near you. They have experience, and will help you with lots and lots of practical issues.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

A rocket big enough to get into orbit will be noticed by US government surveillance satellites designed to detect nuclear missile launches, and may get you into a bit of trouble. At the very least you need clearance to launch from the FAA.

[Phi for All]

I'm always afraid that it might somehow crash and damage building or other satellites because of miscalculation or because I failed to design it properly.

 

How are you making calculations that take existing satellites into account?

[swansont]

At the very least you need clearance to launch from the FAA.

 

Or, since FAA doesn't have jurisdiction in the Philippines, the local equivalent of it, CAAP

[JohnCli]

Or, since FAA doesn't have jurisdiction in the Philippines, the local equivalent of it, CAAP

 

I'll contact them and also coordinate the local authorities here.

 

 

A rocket big enough to get into orbit will be noticed by US government surveillance satellites designed to detect nuclear missile launches, and may get you into a bit of trouble. At the very least you need clearance to launch from the FAA.

 

I might get into some trouble unless I'll ask my dad to us his connections to feature it in a T.V. Network, hopefully it would reduce the risk.

 

 

 

Just for the record, are we talking about a satellite in orbit... or a satellite which is in a ballistic trajectory and will fall back to earth after launch?

 

Also, just for the record, if you are planning to launch an actual rocket to anything above 1 km (or perhaps even 0.5 km), you might want to contact local authorities and/or the aviation authorities. You don't even have to hit an airplane to get into trouble with the authorities. Shooting rockets to high altitudes and/or long distances will eventually be seen as a crime, or even terrorism. This is no joke.

 

My advice: join a rocket club near you. They have experience, and will help you with lots and lots of practical issues.

 

I've already finished a ballistic camera satellite project and that's why I'm aiming for a geosynchronous satellite that I can use to study stars. India already launched a satellite while Philippines has only started building water rockets so I might need to create my own club. Also thanks for the tips I'll ask my dad if it's legal for me to launch a rocket here.

Edited March 9, 2013 by JohnCli

[Enthalpy]

I'd suggest to decide whether you build a satellite or a launcher. That's not the same activity.

 

Opportunities exist to put your small satellite as a secondary passenger on a big launcher. This would be accessible to a single person, and already more than difficult enough.

 

For a single individual, the maximum complexity I imagine is to supply with a primary battery for a couple of days, design to work over a wide temperature range, not stabilize the orientation - and then find some excuse to launch the thing. Maybe you could test some reentry technology like an inflatable heat shield.

[JohnCli]

I'm just try to make a satellite that I can use for astronomy and hopefully I can launch 10 nano sats that I can use for research.

 

 

 

 

Opportunities exist to put your small satellite as a secondary passenger on a big launcher. This would be accessible to a single person, and already more than difficult enough.

 

I already thought about that and I think NovaNano might be just right for the job of launching the satellites

[Enthalpy]

I have never seen an astronomy satellite that works without pointing at the observed object (except Hipparcos) and I consider pointing is too difficult for a first satellite.

 

Because of that, my satellite (Sara, from the club Esieespace) had no attitude control and we were suggested a topic in radioastronomy that did not need any attitude control, luckily enough.

 

Without attitude control, but with a team of 9 people seriously skilled, enthusiast, and used to work together, Sara took 3 years and exhausted us.

 

In case you're alone, I consider that a nanosatellite:

- without attitude nor orbit control

- without any precise thermal control

- with a supercapacitor instead of chemical batteries, which eases the temperature range, and Solar cells

- or better, with a primary battery instead, and working for a few days or weeks

is more than enough difficult.

 

That's what I had in mind when suggesting to test an atmospheric reentry shield.

 

Don't forget the extra work associated with the interfaces and discussions with the launcher: it took us one man.

 

Also, piggyback launch on Ariane cost then 200k$, the rest of the budget was alike.

 

Maybe you could touch a word with Guy Pignolet. He's in La Réunion and has instigated several nanosats in schools. He speaks English and has a Website.

[JohnCli]

I have never seen an astronomy satellite that works without pointing at the observed object (except Hipparcos) and I consider pointing is too difficult for a first satellite.

 

Because of that, my satellite (Sara, from the club Esieespace) had no attitude control and we were suggested a topic in radioastronomy that did not need any attitude control, luckily enough.

 

Without attitude control, but with a team of 9 people seriously skilled, enthusiast, and used to work together, Sara took 3 years and exhausted us.

 

In case you're alone, I consider that a nanosatellite:

- without attitude nor orbit control

- without any precise thermal control

- with a supercapacitor instead of chemical batteries, which eases the temperature range, and Solar cells

- or better, with a primary battery instead, and working for a few days or weeks

is more than enough difficult.

 

That's what I had in mind when suggesting to test an atmospheric reentry shield.

 

Don't forget the extra work associated with the interfaces and discussions with the launcher: it took us one man.

 

Also, piggyback launch on Ariane cost then 200k$, the rest of the budget was alike.

 

Maybe you could touch a word with Guy Pignolet. He's in La Réunion and has instigated several nanosats in schools. He speaks English and has a Website.

 

Is it enough to have 1 Computer Engineer,2 Software Engineers and 1 Astrophysicist cousins? or do I need a few more people for the project?

200k$? as in 200,000? I thought it was 400,000? I'll try to contact some people and hopefully 200k U.S. Dollars is the right price, gives me more funds for the rocket and the ground control station. Thanks for the replies and suggestions.