Foreword If you’ve been following my articles here on “The Powerbase”, you’ve probably come to the realization that I’m really into space. The idea of hackers and makers being able to communicate with, or ideally even control, an orbiting satellite is simply incredible to me. Just a few years ago, setting up an amateur network of communications [...]
Mars Mapped With Open Source Tools From MapBox
With the recent successful landing of the Curiosity rover on the Martian surface, it seems NASA has managed to once again inspire the masses about the possibilities of space flight and exploration of other world in our solar system. But even for the most ardent of space buffs, it can be hard to truly grasp the scale and features [...]
Copenhagen Suborbitals Release Snowmix, an Open Source Video Mixer
The Copenhagen Suborbitals, if you weren’t aware, have a pretty simple goal: to launch a human being into space. As you might expect, this takes a bit of work to accomplish; and along the way they will be creating and researching many ideas and technologies that otherwise would be limited to global superpowers and corporate [...]
FTL Debuts on Linux, Joins Diaspora In Top-Tier Space Sims
We do a lot of reporting at The Powerbase on notable Kickstarter projects. It is always gratifying for us to help spread the word when something great is brewing. Whether or not we help it ferment is debatable, but when a Kickstarter project delivers on its promise, it is doubly gratifying to share with you. FTL (Faster [...]
Linux Powered PROITERES Satellite Safely in Orbit
The Japanese PROITERES satellite was successively launched last week, and reports from amature radio operators from all over the globe have confirmed it’s in the intended orbit and operating normally. [youtube id="r_VOZ5aWZvM" width="600" height="350"] PROITERES PROITERES, which (somewhat awkwardly) stands for the “PRoject of OIT Electric-Rocket-Engine Onboard Small Space Ship”, is a very unique spacecraft designed and built by students of the Osaka Institute of Technology. [...]
NASA Expands Android Application Collection with “Earth Now”
NASA has put out a few absolutely stunning iPhone and iPad applications, but unfortunately for us not living under Apple’s thumb, the majority of them haven’t been ported over to Android. While that situation is still a long way from changing, the recently released “Earth Now” for Android shows that keeping the two mobile operating [...]
Open Source’s Final Frontier: Interview with Alexandru Csete
Sometimes it seems that open source has permeated every aspect of our modern technology. From our phones, to our browsers, and even our cars, open source software and hardware has finally started to make the move from niche hobby to big business. But there are still a few standout examples of technology which has, thus [...]
Can Android Revolutionize Spacecraft Design?
NASA’s Ames Research Center is working on a new project designed to drastically cut the cost of launching and operating small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The project, known as PhoneSat, will see the Android powered Nexus One and Nexus S phones command their very own small scale spacecraft this year in a first [...]
SpaceX Launch Marks New Era In Open Space Program
This morning’s successful launch of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft atop the Falcon 9 rocket marks the first time in history a commercial company has attempted a mission to the International Space Station (ISS). While the success of the mission won’t be determined for a few days yet, this is still a historic day for humanity’s efforts to reach out [...]
Winners Announced For International Space Apps Challenge
While budgetary constraints and increasing commercial competition has clearly taken its toll on NASA, one area where the iconic government institution has unquestionably made headway is the implementation of open source. The launching of code.NASA a few months back was an excellent start, open sourcing various pieces of NASA software so that anyone in the world [...]
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