ESPY - The Educational Microsat

ESPY was a microsattelite designed to let schools across the country participate a space mission. The primary payload was a small GPS (Global Postioning System) receiver which could determine the satellite's position relative to the ground. Any similar small payload could be used in place of this; ESPY was envisaged as being about the size of a large coffee jar.

A microcomputer onboard was then to provide a voice synthesis of this information which could be transmitted over a UHF band link which anyone with the (relatively cheap!) equipment could receive.

This would have allowed classes to track the satellite in real time and provided a useful introduction to the world of space and satellite technology for a short time : the design called only for batteries and hence a limited lifespan .

Unfortunately, funding pressures meant that although much design work was completed, the actual craft never got built.


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