Project Calliope
Science&Social Media
Alex Antunes, Ph.D.
Abstract: We present the 'Project Calliope' picosatellite to explore how to use social media to initiate, fund, and engage in scientific research. 'Project Calliope' is a sonified ionospheric detector being launched in 2010 on the "TubeSat" platform. It has no federal or academic contribution, and relies on 'citizen scientists' and such 'citizen journalist' channels as ScientificBlogging.com for its technical and infrastructure support. The fundamental question of whether good science can come from small packages has a mixed answer. We put forth the 'Science2.0' concept of science as play, provide a method for engaging individuals as contributors, discuss the pros and cons of operating a research project with full transparency, and present preliminary K12 outreach results.Project Calliope is a science/music satellite
Input: Earth's Ionosphere orbital environmentOutput: MIDI music signals
Specs:
- InterOrbital.com $8K 'TubeSat' in a 3-16 week polar orbit
- 'ICube-X' Sensors from InfusionSystems.com
- 2 ionospheric magnetic sensors
- 1 particle counter
- 4 light sensors to track spin
- 1 temperature sensor
- Downlink via shared HAM, estimate 90-180 minutes/day.
- Redistribution via web and P2P
Why?
- Dawn of private space age
- 'Small science' by individuals
- Science&Music collaborating
- Open notebook science
- Sharing and remixing
- It's what I do.
Fueled by Social Media
Original plan: assemble a crack engineering&ops team, then promote it myself.Reality: I can build it solo, using COTS! But promotion requires many hands.
Communities Engaged
The Future is 2010/2011
There is a love and need for space, not just among techies but among musicians, artists, students, anyone who looks up. @skyday #aas215This bear will fly to space! |
Alex
Track The Satellite Diaries via RSS feed and Twitter @skyday (or go slumming in my main column, the Daytime Astronomer)
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