I’ve been diving into the world of amateur satellites, and the idea of building one is absolutely thrilling! However, like any ambitious project, getting started can feel overwhelming. So, I wanted to gather some collective wisdom from this awesome community.

  1. Choosing Components: What are the must-have components for a basic satellite? Any recommendations on where to source them without breaking the bank?

  2. Learning Resources: What books, online courses, or tutorials have you found invaluable in understanding satellite design and operation?

  3. Software and Simulations: Are there any specific software tools or simulation programs you’d suggest for planning and testing satellite systems?

  4. Launching: What are the best options for getting a small satellite into orbit for amateurs? Has anyone here collaborated with organizations like SpaceX or Rocket Lab?

  5. Success Stories: I’d love to hear about your personal projects! What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them? Pics and progress updates are always welcome!

Thanks in advance!

  • u/lukmly013 💾 (lemmy.sdf.org)English
    6•4 months ago

    Sorry to disappoint you, but this has been mostly about receiving imagery from commercial satellites. Though maybe you’ll find someone with a cubesat ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

  • @cm0002
    2•4 months ago

    I looked into this once, stopped once I saw the launch costs. At the time I was looking at between 10-20k just in launch costs alone for something very very small

    Not to mention the costs of building something that’ll last any decent amount of time, every electronic component built to last in space is going to be like 10x the cost. Yes yes I know about consumer grade stuffs like a RPi working in space, but I doubt they lasted very long. If I’m going to spend 20 grand to launch something into space id want it to at least last a few years.

    Unfortunately, you’re going to need to be willing and capable of dropping 30k+ on this project

  • @NeptuneOrbit
    1•4 months ago

    DM me your email and I can share some resources, especially about 1, but the others to an extent.

  • @jimmydoreisalefty
    0•4 months ago

    Edit2: improved, a bit: spacing and format; word

    I would check out universities and the national competitions they join in, or try anyway.

    It would be better and easier to join a local school that has a program or an amateur rocketry club or organization; these tend to be far away in a secluded area or desert.

    NASA competitions are usually really great for sharing past technical reports on the projects the high schoolers and university groups competed with, as well as the winners and video pictures that may be shared as well.

    It may take a good amount of searching; you may even have to search for which university competed and then look for their student website or research website.

    Quick search:

    https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/nasa_csli_cubesat_101_508.pdf

    https://usm.maine.edu/cubesats/usm-cubesat-design-competition-2024/

    https://www.nasa.gov/kennedy/launch-services-program/cubesat-launch-initiative/

    https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasa-partners-select-universities-for-cubesat-summer-program/