Suit Sat-1 Radioscaf-1

An Amateur Experiment

Well, what a brilliant concept.  The use  of a time expired "Orlan" space suit as a satellite.  This may just be the s tart of something bigger.

I had everyone's imagination of the working overtime, with the World's media talking about this old space suit thrown overboard. (Metaphorically speaking).  From CNN, ABC and the BBC all wanting to report this strange craft.  I was myself, interviewed by the BBC ( I don't know where they got my name from).

Data received showed that the temperature stayed at a reasonable level through out the mission (12-16 deg) and in no way effected the batteries or the radio.  What has to be looked at is to why the radio went to low power.  Was it the aerial lead become disconnected? Or did the radio default to a lower setting?

Publicity wise, it was a success. As regard to the public receiving it on a scanner, I am not so sure. One thing I know is, we all will have a go next time.

Yes, there will be a next time.  There are more suits to get rid of, and what I fitting end.

It has been suggested that the next model would have a small solar array to keep the battery topped up.  We'll all will be on standby for that one.

I would like to thank all of the team involved in the Suit-Sat project,  Frank Brauer KA3HDO.  He is the International Chairman of ARISS.  Expedition 12 Commander of the International Space Station, Bill McArthur NA1SS and the flight engineer  Valery Tokarev for all of the work they have put in to making this project a success.

Courtesy  of  NASA

It was said to me did this project have a purpose?  Well, NASA think that the launching of a soft satellite, one that has not got a hard case, can be launched by hand far cheaper than a conventional one.  It is in the record books, this was the first satellite launches by hand.