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Ask HN: Can I put something in space?

11 points by hazz99 ↗ HN
Hello,

Is it possible for a technically-minded person to put their own cubesat/related technology into space? Are there major legal hurdles, or is it mainly financial?

Cheers.

8 comments

[ 2.1 ms ] story [ 30.8 ms ] thread
sigmaprimus
Not sure where you live but in Canada there are laws regarding doing this, not saying you can't but you might get in trouble, that being said it's almost always easier asking for forgiveness than permission. Here is a link to the Canadian law that covers this

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://w...

If your interested in satellite tech I suggest looking into amsat, and if you want a cheap way to communicate with satellites, I suggest getting your HAM license and go that route.

Good luck

danielvf
Three or four man college teams do cubesats all the time, so I’m guessing it’s entirely doable by an individual. In the US I know you have to get FCC approval, and do so you’ll probably need to plan on an orbit with a short lifetime.
giaour
Yes, you can do so. The cheapest option at the moment is to use a TubeSat kit from InterOrbital Systems ( http://www.interorbital.com/Tubesat%20Kits). The kit is $8,000 and includes a launch into low Earth orbit.

You will need approval if you want to take images of the Earth. Take a look at DIY Satellite Platforms by Sandy Antunes for a detailed overview and guide.

bluehazed
Looks like that pricing is academic only, though.
giaour
True; if you're putting a tubesat into orbit for commercial purposes, they will probably charge you more.
arwineap
Hrm, approval from who? Seems like public "space"
giaour
The 1967 Outer Space Treaty makes individual nations responsible for the extra-terrestrial activities of persons and entities under their jurisdiction. US persons and entities need authorization from NOAA. (cf https://space.stackexchange.com/a/26373 )
flingo
More to this question, are there any limits on what you can put in orbit?

e.g. could I put a satellite in orbit that broadcasts an SSTV signal that's goatse, or a handgun? For the sake of the question, assume I can launch/reside in any country.