I Tried Building My Own Space Satellite

They built a satellite called SATGUS to take selfies in space. It uses a Google Pixel phone, a radiation-hardened camera, reaction wheels for orientation, and solar panels for power. You can submit your own selfie to be taken over your city.

• 🛰️ SATGUS is a 6U CubeSat, a standardized satellite size that reduces costs significantly.
• ⚙️ Reaction wheels and torque rods are used for satellite attitude control, allowing it to orient itself without thrusters.
• ☀️ Power comes from solar panels and batteries, but requires careful orientation management for charging and communication.
• 📸 The payload includes a backup phone and camera system to ensure selfie capture.
• 🚀 The satellite launches on a SpaceX Falcon 9 and will orbit for 1-3 years before burning up.

A satellite in space with a screen showing Mark Rober, with a red line connecting it to a location on Earth.