SatNOGS
Open source platform for a distributed satellite ground station network.
SatNOGS (Satellite Networked Open Ground Station) is an open source hardware and free software platform for building a network of satellite ground stations. Its goal is to develop a complete set of open technologies built on open standards, and to demonstrate this stack by constructing a fully functional ground station. The project began at the 2014 NASA SpaceApps Challenge, held at Athens Hackerspace, and later won first place in that year's Hackaday Prize competition. It is now managed by the Libre Space Foundation. The project provides the technology needed for a distributed network of ground stations that track low Earth orbit satellites. This is achieved through four sub-projects: - A web application that schedules observation tasks across the network of ground stations. - A crowd-sourced application where users can submit transmitter information for active satellites, with data accessible via an API. - Software that runs on ground stations (often on embedded systems), which receives scheduled observations from the Network, captures satellite transmissions, and sends the data back to the Network web app. - An open source hardware setup including a rotator, antennas, and electronics, connected to the Client. It is built using 3D-printed parts and commonly available materials. As of a November 2019 blog post, the network had over 300 operational ground stations, more than 12 million observations, and tracked over 380 satellites with over 810 transmitters, resulting in over 51 million data frames. This global array of stations creates an effective network for monitoring satellites. For example, the European Space Agency used the SatNOGS network to obtain initial status observations from the OPS-SAT CubeSat after its launch in December 2019.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Libre Space Foundation
- Released
- 2014 · 04
- Genre
- Satellite Ground Station Network
- License
- GNU GPL v3+, AGPL, CERN Open Hardware License
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The SatNOGS project was initiated during the NASA SpaceApps Challenge in 2014 at Athens Hackerspace. It then took part in and won first place of the Hackaday Prize 2014 competition. SatNOGS is currently a project of the Libre Space Foundation. The project aims to provide a stack of technologies needed for a distributed network of low Earth orbit satellite ground stations, implemented through four sub-projects: Network, Database, Client, and Ground Station. The SatNOGS Network is a web application for scheduling observations across the network of ground stations. The SatNOGS Database is a crowd-sourced application allowing users to suggest satellite transmitter information for currently active satellites, with data available via an API. The SatNOGS Client is software to run on ground stations, usually on embedded systems, that receives scheduled observations from the Network, receives satellite transmissions, and sends them back to the Network web app. The SatNOGS Ground Station is an open source hardware ground station instrumentation with a rotator, antennas, electronics, and connected to the Client, based on 3D printed components and readily available materials.
Reader's Guide
The SatNOGS project has established a global array of ground stations that contributes to an effective network for monitoring orbital satellites. A November 2019 SatNOGS blog post summarized total statistics since establishment: over 300 operational ground stations, over 12 million observations, over 380 satellites with over 810 transmitters monitored, and over 51 million data frames. The European Space Agency utilized the SatNOGS network to gain initial status observations from the OPS-SAT CubeSat after launch in December 2019. The project's significance lies in its open source and open hardware approach, enabling a distributed, crowd-sourced network for satellite tracking and data collection. Its legacy includes providing a freely accessible infrastructure for amateur radio operators and researchers to monitor low Earth orbit satellites, as demonstrated by its use by a major space agency.
Did You Know?
- The project won first place in the Hackaday Prize 2014 competition.
- The SatNOGS Ground Station is based on 3D printed components and readily available materials.
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