"I want Hatsune Miku to shake green onions in space."Interview with the developer of the private satellite project SOMESAT

"I want Hatsune Miku to shake green onions in space."

In the fall of 2009, the Niconico Engineering Department started a project to launch Hatsune Miku on a microsatellite "CubeSat".

&amp ;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a data-cke-saved-href=& amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm8677330& amp;amp;amp;quot;href="http: //www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm8677330"& amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; PV】</a&amp ;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

　The social media satellite development project "SOMESAT" is a collection of people who have the technology and knowledge of satellite development and want to support it through the Internet. It is a project that represents the Internet and SNS era, in which ordinary people gather together not only for development, but also for practical work such as testing, fundraising and legal aspects, and PR activities.

　Tsuna (@t_una), one of the SOMESAT members, who is developing an antenna for receiving radio waves from satellites on the ground, asked about the purpose of the mission and the current progress of the project.

――Are SOMESAT all ardent fans of Hatsune Miku?

Tsuna: "A lot of people love Miku, myself included. At first, some people wondered, 'What is Hatsune Miku?' There are about 10 to 20 members who are active in the main. "

――　How do you organize a project in the midst of the disparate knowledge and technology of space development?

Tsuna "There is a facilitator, but it's basically a horizontal connection rather than a top-down type. Once a week, we gather online and have a meeting. Activities of the Niconico Engineering Department As a member of society, I learned things like, "I can make a power supply," or "I study and make models." And if there is an event like Niconico Chokaigi, we meet face-to-face... and repeat that process as we create."

―― Are the members from all over the country?

Tsuna: "Yes. We're from Hokkaido to Okinawa. During the Super Conference, members from Hokkaido to Kyoto gathered.

　There are various ages, such as students studying engineering, and students who have been watching space development such as Apollo 11 and the space shuttle for a long time, but it is frustrating that students are doing artificial satellite development! There is also a member of society who participated. Also, people who want to try and have the skills but can't stand it because they didn't have the opportunity. I wonder if there were people who had model rocket experience, people who made robots, and people who participated in the birdman contest. Some are in the technical field, others like space and have been watching it for a long time, but I never had the opportunity to do so.”

――Please tell us what the SOMESAT satellite is like.

Tsuna "What SOMESAT is aiming for is a very small satellite called a 'CubeSat' 1U (10 x 10 x 10 centimeters)."

Tsuna ``If you think about what it would be like if Hatsune Miku ('Hachune') threw a green onion in space, it would be very interesting. And now that artificial satellites are being built by university and technical college students, the development started with the idea that the private sector could also make them.

　The primary purpose of satellites is "swinging green onions". Check Miku shaking the green onion by monitoring changes in the satellite's attitude and power consumption. If possible, I want to see the figure as an image, so I load the camera. If you take a few shots in a row, you can see that it's moving, and if you raise the frame rate a little to 7-10fps, it will look like a flipbook. Furthermore, in order to send the images to the ground, we have to improve the communication function as well... so we will think about the function of the satellite, centering on the onion." ――What kind of orbit does the satellite go around?

Tsuna: "We will be able to operate and communicate in Japan. On top of that, we will aim for a north-south 'polar orbit' that passes through the North and South Poles with an altitude of several hundred kilometers. You can see the world around Japan, right?I want to show Miku the whole earth, including the South and North Pole.Of course, I also want to take pictures of various places on the earth. , In that case, a polar orbit would be better. Also, there should be more than a year between launch and landing so that the mission can be completed properly.”

――Will Hatsune Miku sing in space? Tsuna: "Personally, I really want them to sing. However, I still don't know about broadcasting songs from artificial satellites. When it comes to broadcasting songs, we have to consider how to transmit the sound beautifully on radio waves. Besides, communication with the satellite is possible only when the satellite is above the receiving station on the ground... That time is about 15 minutes at the longest, so maybe one song will play... I think, but that It's difficult to think that we have to download the photo data taken by Miku, which is the original project, within the time limit.

　Nevertheless, playing songs is something I want to do someday. That's why I'm making this receiving antenna. "

<a data-cke-saved-href="http://www.nicovideo.jp/ watch/sm11025331"href="http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm11025331"> /a>

Tsuna ``By putting this antenna and receiver together and placing them on the balcony of your home, you can receive radio waves from CubeSats. If you put it away, you can create a "Hatsune Miku Satellite Receiving Station Network" that can receive song signals in real time anywhere in the world.

Once the first mission, Negi-furi, is completed, I'd like to overwrite the software on the satellite and do something like Hatsune Miku's space live for about 3 hours from space. A satellite can circle the earth twice in 3 hours. It might be a good idea to solicit original songs for streaming from satellites. I want to do something like that.” It is manufactured through stages such as "EM: Engineering Model", "PM: Prototype Model" that tests in a space environment such as vacuum and low temperature, and "FM: Flight Model" that will actually be launched. SOMEST satellite development is in its third year. Nico Nico Douga reports on the development of satellite components (parts with some kind of function, such as power supplies and antennas). ]

――How far has development progressed so far?

Tsuna ``Right now, it's still before the BBM comes apart. Parts such as the power supply and communication are starting to come together. We put them in a box, put them in a box, and then test them again, then turn them into FMs.

Of course, not only the satellite, but also the organization must be created. If you plan to use a JAXA rocket for the launch, you must have legal status in order to be audited by JAXA. Also, you need a place for that because you can't collect things in the end without a fixed place. I don't have an office right now, so I have to think about whether to register someone's personal home and make it there or prepare a place somewhere. "

―― Where can I get parts for development?

Tsuna: "Basically Akihabara. Whether it's substrates or other parts, the difference between parts for space and satellites and the parts sold in Akihabara is that they are guaranteed to work in space. There is, or there is not.” Products sold for space use are guaranteed to have passed the manufacturer's tests, so they are expensive.In that case, we should do radiation tests and vacuum tests ourselves. If you can do it yourself, that's fine.The only guarantee is that it works for one year in orbit, not decades.The only thing you can't buy in Akihabara as a CubeSat part is solar cells. Isn't that about it?"

――But how do you prepare the test equipment?

Tsuna: "Eventually, Kyushu Institute of Technology and JAXA will have test facilities for satellites, so we will need to test the actual equipment at those facilities. However, the first test will be at home. BBM, etc. At the second stage, you either do it at home or create your own test environment.

　For a low temperature environment, start with the refrigerator. Oven at high temperature. The impact test is done by hitting with a wooden mallet or hammer. JAXA is also doing this. Spin tests are placed on a record player. You can also see the rpms. If you attach a rotation detector and spin it around, you can see whether it's okay to spin around after the satellite is separated, and whether you can take pictures without blurring even if you keep spinning around. "

&amp ;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a data-cke-saved-href=& amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm6261991& amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; href=& amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm6261991& amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;& amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; To space [5. Dry ice blame green onion shake w] &lt ;/a>

Tsuna ``Also, in order to simulate outer space, we need a ``vacuum chamber'', a test facility that can create a vacuum inside, and this is also self-made. Connect a rubber O-ring for piping to a commercially available pump, and repeat adjustments while checking for leaks.The vacuum chamber is about 10 to the minus 4th power, so it's a few steps lower than JAXA's equipment, but it's the first. A member of SOEMSAT made it and has it at home, so I sent it there for testing.

　We also build our own clean room. This is relatively easy, just make a room frame, put a vinyl curtain on it, and let the air flow in with an air purifier. Recent air purifiers have very good performance, and they don't have to be very clean, so they can be used well." One way is to apply for a “shared small satellite” recruited by JAXA. When launching a satellite with the H-IIA rocket, it is to solicit satellites to be launched together within the surplus payload range. Many microsatellites, which are currently being actively developed at universities and the like, aim for this method because it does not cost much to launch. From this year, a method of launching microsatellites from the International Space Station's Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" has also begun. In this case, unlike the ride-sharing method, the tip of the rocket is not directly subjected to vibrations and shocks during launch. Less development effort. You can also “buy” rocket launch services abroad, such as Russia, if you just pay. ]

――Which rocket will SOMESAT be launched with?

Tsuna "I haven't decided yet. However, JAXA's carpooling is free. However, many universities throughout Japan are building satellites and are applying for JAXA's carpooling. Those who survive the examination will be qualified to ride the rocket.They must also clear the JAXA rule of re-entering the atmosphere within 25 years, and they must meet the deadline. No. By the way, it takes about two years from screening to launch.”

-If it were to be released from the International Space Station, wouldn't the launch requirements be so strict?

Tsuna: "Yes, but carpooling is more appealing to me. I've overcome the launch hurdle once, so I understand. I know I can overcome it. The International Space Station Because the orbit is as low as about 400 km, it will fall back into the atmosphere in about 100 days after it is released.The lifespan of the satellite is short.Even if you do your best and miraculously extend it, it will only take about 300 days.Therefore, the initial operation will take place during that time. Then, having Miku shake the green onions, it's still not enough to carry on until the late stage of operation."

――　JAXA has a review, right?

Tsuna: "Honestly, that's why I can't decide on JAXA. If you want to launch with an overseas rocket, you can do whatever mission you want as long as you pay the money. However, I don't think it's impossible for JAXA to do it. ."

Tsuna: "Of course, I think it's not enough just to say 'Miku shakes the green onions', but 10 centimeters With satellites around the corner, you can take pictures as well as videos, you can download the image data after securing the line speed, you can use many receiving stations on the ground and get the cooperation of many people to download the data. If you can do it properly and appeal for it.I think it would be good to distribute receiving station antennas to elementary schools and junior high schools.Since the team called SOMESAT is scattered all over the country, we can be instructors all over the country. I would like to take advantage of these strengths.” (Mr. Tsuna, you actually have experience developing microsatellites as a student. You can feel the confidence of the experienced person.)

――The more you listen to it, the more attractive it becomes, but is there a turn for humanities?

Tsuna ``It doesn't have much to do with science or humanities, and the development and operation of a satellite is only possible when various people gather. I have to communicate with people, and I have to create documents.Humanities people say, ``I don't have the skills,'' but I wonder if that's true. Even now, the people in charge of public relations and other clerical matters are all fumbling around, starting with Twitter and blogging.

　The hurdles may be a little high for creating a satellite, but new members come to us when we appear in the media. I feel that many people are watching over us from the outside." 　SOMESAT, a social media satellite development project. Regular meetings are held every Friday from 23:00 on the Nico Tech IRC channel #somesat, so if you're interested, please join us!

■Related Sites Social Media Satellite Development Project SOMESAT wiki SOMESAT NEWS SOMESAT Information Bureau SOMESAT Information Bureau twitter