British engineers from Surrey Satellite Technology Limited(SSTL) and the Surrey Space Centre are planning to send a smartphone, notably an Android powered one into space soon. Code named STRaND-1, which stands for Surrey Training, Research and Nanosatellite Demonstrator, the satellite will be launched into orbit later this year to demonstrate the capabilities of off-the-shelf components to build a satellite quickly.
The phone won't be making calls back home though but instead will initially be taking images of earth and eventually if everything goes according to plan, take control of the satellite itself. The actual phone model is not yet known but it will be a sub-£300(RM1,400) smartphone available at High Street stores.
Why Android? Being open-sourced, apps can be developed for the phone to suit the functions off the satellite. Even though they won't be taking the phone apart and sending it as it is, common sense dictates that they eventually would when it comes back to earth to check for damages or whatnot. So screw the iPhone.
If the mission is a success, it will shake-up the space industry tremendously especially when the satellite costs less than an average family car powered by a smartphone!
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