(http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/05/nasa-phonesat-photo-1367625152.jpg) (http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/04/nasa-phonesat-returns-photos-from-orbit/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget)
The launch of NASA's PhoneSat (http://www.engadget.com/2012/10/10/htc-nasa-to-launch-nexus-one-into-space/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) mission last year was loaded with promise: finally, proof that mobile technology could power nanosatellites (http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/08/nasa-successfully-launches-nanosail-d-solar-sail-from-microsatel/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) and stick it to The Man. The photos have returned, and... well, Lockheed (http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/01/lockheed-martin-powers-up-its-first-gps-iii-satellite/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) won't be scrapping its big satellites just yet. While we're impressed that the Nexus Ones (http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/nexus-one-review/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget) onboard the three PhoneSats delivered images from orbit through amateur radio waves, the transmission artifacts are more like those from 15-year-old online videos than what we see on the ground today. Don't think that the effort was in vain, however -- far from it. While the inaugural PhoneSats have burned up in reentry, as expected, future iterations should build on the experience and make a better case for small-scale spacecraft.
Filed under: Transportation (http://www.engadget.com/category/transportation/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget), Science (http://www.engadget.com/category/science/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget), HTC (http://www.engadget.com/category/htc/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget)
Comments (http://www.engadget.com/2013/05/04/nasa-phonesat-returns-photos-from-orbit/?utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Engadget#comments)
Via: The Verge (http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/3/4297718/nasa-phonesat-android-nexus-returns-images)
Source: NASA (1) (http://www.nasa.gov/topics/technology/features/PhoneSat_PHOTO_Feature.html), (2) (http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_2501.html), PhoneSat (http://www.phonesat.org/)
Via: Engadget