.... .. -.. . -. .. .-- .- -.- .- (HI DE NIWAKA)
October 5, 2012 11:15 AM Subscribe
.... .. -.. . -. .. .-- .- -.- .- (HI DE NIWAKA) If you see something flashing in the sky and it flashes with that morse sequence, it's not an UFO. It's the small (10cm cube) cubesat FITSAT-1 greeting us from the space with powerful LED morse flashes.
If you could get an array of these things to orbit in formation, fun times could be had.
posted by BungaDunga at 11:31 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by BungaDunga at 11:31 AM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I can't help but hear "HI DE NIWAKAAAAA!" as in the opening to The Lion King.
posted by xedrik at 12:15 PM on October 5, 2012
posted by xedrik at 12:15 PM on October 5, 2012
I for one welcome our blinking µBorg overlords.
posted by zippy at 12:24 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by zippy at 12:24 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I'm glad I saw this article before I saw something like that in the sky.
Dunno if I'd have thought UFO, but I'd probably have thought something, something Air Force Base, whoops! Not good.
posted by BlueHorse at 1:01 PM on October 5, 2012
Dunno if I'd have thought UFO, but I'd probably have thought something, something Air Force Base, whoops! Not good.
posted by BlueHorse at 1:01 PM on October 5, 2012
B E S U R E T O D R I N K
Y O U R O V A L T I N E
posted by Sys Rq at 2:02 PM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
Y O U R O V A L T I N E
posted by Sys Rq at 2:02 PM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
Looks like we won't have a pass here for a week or so, but I'll be listening (and looking!) for it. Thanks!
posted by junco at 3:59 PM on October 5, 2012
posted by junco at 3:59 PM on October 5, 2012
Can anyone link to a schedule for FITSAT-1? I'm not finding one. Assuming it's tracking with the International Space Station since it was just deployed from ISS, is the position info for ISS here a good source? Or maybe locating ISS at heavens-above.com? (first configure a current observing site)?
I hope someone who knows how to track satelllites can offer help. I want to see it!
posted by Snerd at 7:14 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
I hope someone who knows how to track satelllites can offer help. I want to see it!
posted by Snerd at 7:14 PM on October 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
THIS IS THE COOLEST THING I'VE SEEN ON METAFILTER IN AGES-STOP-GIVE THESE GUYS MORE FUNDING/WEED-STOP
posted by artof.mulata at 8:46 PM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by artof.mulata at 8:46 PM on October 5, 2012 [2 favorites]
Goodnight room.
Coodnight cube.
Goodnight message flashed by the cube.
posted by BiggerJ at 9:02 PM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
Coodnight cube.
Goodnight message flashed by the cube.
posted by BiggerJ at 9:02 PM on October 5, 2012 [3 favorites]
Very cool. I love that the cubesat program (and similar programs) exists.
I was wondering how they did attitude control and the article says they just put a big ol' magnet in there to align the cubesat with the Earth's field. How does that work? Doesn't there need to be a dissipative element?
posted by hattifattener at 1:11 AM on October 7, 2012
I was wondering how they did attitude control and the article says they just put a big ol' magnet in there to align the cubesat with the Earth's field. How does that work? Doesn't there need to be a dissipative element?
posted by hattifattener at 1:11 AM on October 7, 2012
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posted by elpapacito at 11:18 AM on October 5, 2012