Handsets

Google Nexus-powered Strand-1 satellite ready for lift off

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While many scramble to find the latest Nexus device in stock for purchase, the first Google phone is part of a much bigger agenda. The Nexus One is ready for lift off after being bolted to the side of the 30cm “cubesat” Strand-1, which has been in development for almost two years.

Not only will the Nexus One’s 5MP camera be used to capture images of space, but a collection of apps will stow away beyond the earth’s atmosphere to test such things as the magnetic environment surrounding the Strand-1. The tagline from the classic 1979 film Alien — “In space no one can hear you scream” — will also be challenged. An app that plays videos of people screaming will seek to answer questions about how sound travels in space.

The satellite is en route to India where it will piggyback on the launch of the Isro Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle on February 25th. Once in space, the Strand-1 will use experimental water-alcohol propulsion and plasma thrusters to maneuver. While the first set of experiments aren’t even underway, the folks at the Surrey Space Centre and Surrey Satellite Technology are already looking toward the Strand-2, which will use Xbox Kinect to locate and dock multiple satellites in orbit.

[via BBC | Thanks, roadpizza!]

Kevin Krause
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20 Comments

  1. Many days I miss my old Nexus 1, what a great phone.

  2. They should’ve sent a nokia 1100 and dropped it from space.

    1. Would probably cause an earthquake or tsunami upon impact

      1. At the very least.

    2. and doom us all?!

    3. You want them to destroy the planet?

  3. Repurposing of old tech is fantastic. More things like this should happen.

  4. Angry Birds Space part 2?

  5. You’ll never hear of an opponent in space.

  6. I thought the G1 was the first Google phone.

    1. Yes the G1 was the first commercial Google/Android phone, but it wasn’t part of the Nexus program.

  7. “Technology are already looking toward the Strand-2, which will use Xbox Kinect to locate and dock multiple satellites in orbit.”

    So literally the sky will fall one day in the future.

  8. i just got that odd feeling when you just know that there will soon be an iSattelite shooting up in the near future.

    Then they will start a lawsuit in space, and call it spacesuit, and then sue the manufacturer of spacesuits for infringing their patented name.

    ;)

    1. lol that was hilarious, i couldnt stop laughing at the “spacesuit” comment. lol

  9. Wow, Google has way too much time and money on is hands nowadays….

  10. Will India call Houston for tech support?

    1. THIS IS THE BESTY THING I HAVE EVER…. EVERYTHING

  11. If you listen closely, you can hear Major Tom by Peter Schilling

  12. Old….Apple did this back in 2000. They jettisoned the casket that held the final copy of OSIX they showed on stage and it’s been floating around space screwing with the weather of their competitors launch parties… I’m quite confident they have a backdated patent already in the works once google gets their mad props.

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