Tags: CubeSat, South Korea, Soyuz, Russia
Publication: Wired.co.uk
Publication Date: 10/29/2012

Communications system of Song’s Open Source Satellite Initiative Image credit: OSSI

In April 2013, South Korean artist Hojun Song will see the results of five years of work when his small homemade cube satellite is put into orbit by a Russian Soyuz rocket. In those five years Song was dedicated to do research, raise awareness and source funding for what he called Open Satellite Initiative, influenced by Stanford University’s CubeSat.

Song used commercial components to build his satellite since space-grade components are restricted for sale to individuals due to the risk of people building weapons. He even went through all the protocol of getting insurance and the appropriate permissions to use specific radio frequency to communicate back to Earth. For the launch, Song got help form Russian scientists to develop a spring mechanism that will fire the satellite into orbit from the Soyuz rocket.

While the design, propulsion and regulatory issues are under control, the total cost of the project is about $100,000 and he is still working to raise the money. Song is selling T-shirts for this and has opened a contest where the winner can also get their satellite in orbit.

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