MacTech, Southern Stars Using Social Media to Launch SkyCube Satellite Into Space

We all know that social media is a powerful force, but can it be used to launch a satellite into orbit? That's what MacTech magazine and Southern Stars are hoping as they seek donations to launch SkyCube into space next year.

MacTech and Southern Stars have jointly announced an ambitious project for "the world's first personal, interactive satellite mission" on Friday. Their goal is to use Kickstarter funding to get a satellite named SkyCube into space next year as part of a secondary payload on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

"We want to create a space exploration experience that everyone can be a part of," explains Tim DeBenedictis, founder of Southern Stars, a leading provider of mobile apps for amateur astronomers. "We are developing a nano-satellite, and mobile apps to go with it, as the focus for a global education and public outreach campaign."

The tiny SkyCube will allow people all over the world to participate in next year's launch by tweeting messages and even obtaining pictures of Earth from space. The satellite will also broadcast simple messages uploaded by sponsors including MacTech, who is the first corporate backer of the project.

"What attracted MacTech to support SkyCube was the prospect that anyone could be involved," said Neil Ticktin, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher of MacTech magazine. "MacTech has always been about bringing the community together, and SkyCube demonstrates the best of this. At MacTech Conference (October 17-19, 2012 in Los Angeles), we'll be doing some fun stuff around this project and giving the Apple technical community a great opportunity to be a part of history."

The SkyCube mobile app will be available for iOS via the App Store, with an Android version also available on Google Play; amateur astronomers can also tune in from any web browser. A basic sponsorship to participate in the mission is only $1, which allows the sponsor to tweet a single message into space.

For more information, visit the Kickstarter page to check out the variety of packages Southern Stars and MacTech have lined up for the event.

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

 

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