Little satellites grow up to be big satellites. At least, that’s what will happen if Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) gets its way. Working in conjunction with the University of Surrey, the UK-based company plans to launch a pair of nano-satellites into orbit equipped with Kinect motion-control sensors that will allow the minisats to seek each other out and dock to form a new, larger satellite. If this technology proves successful, it has the potential to change the way satellites are built, maintained and even disposed of by changing satellites from individual machines into intelligent building blocks.
The new nano-satellite, called STRaND-2, is the latest in SSTL’s STRaND series. Like STRaND-1, STRaND-2 is a three-unit cubesat measuring 30 cm (1 ft) in length. STRaNd-1 managed to pack a lot of functionality into a very small package by using off-the-shelf smartphone technology. STRaND-2 continues this adapt and adopt strategy by using technology from an Xbox Kinect controller for the docking system.
via Gizmag
