NASA smartphones snap pictures of Earth

NASA has sent three smart phones into space, using the consumer-grade gadgets to snap photos of our planet and beam the data back to Earth.

The "PhoneSats" were put in boxes and attached to the Antares rocket that took off late last month. NASA wanted to determine whether the relatively low tech smartphones could be used as the main flight avionics for a space-bound satellite.

While in space, the three phones -- dubbed Alexander, Graham, and Bell -- took multiple pictures and transmitted "image-data packets" containing tiny pieces of the big picture to ground stations over amateur radio bands.

PhoneSat scientists and hobbyists alike then went to work piecing the data packets together to reveal the image you're seeing now. The "citizen scientists" contributed over 300 data packets within three days.

Their efforts took around one week to complete.

"During the short time the spacecraft were in orbit, we were able to demonstrate the smartphones' ability to act as satellites in the space environment," said Bruce Yost, the program manager for NASA's Small Satellite Technology Program.

"The PhoneSat project also provided an opportunity for NASA to collaborate with its space enthusiasts. Amateur radio operators from every continent but Antarctica contributed in capturing the data packets we needed to piece together the smartphones' image of Earth from space.”

The phones, having done their duty, did not make it back to Earth. Strong enough to transmit from space but not strong enough to withstand re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, they were burnt to a crips before touchdown.

“The NASA PhoneSat Team would like to acknowledge how grateful we are to the amateur radio community for contributing to the success of this mission,” said Oriol Tintore, an engineer and a member of the PhoneSat Team at Ames who participated in the picture data processing.