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Cornell University has begun to delve into a postage stamp size satellite on a chip design, called Sprite, envisioning a swarm of these tiny probes exploring planetary atmospheres for organic compounds.
Call them a powerful force in the universe. Smallsats have already shown their ability to monitor disasters, study Earth's environment & support agriculture, cartography & earth science missions.
The future of smallsats, there will be growth, new missions, & new ways of working together, said Bille,expressing his own views & not speaking for Booz Allen Hamilton policy. CubeSats are like the personal computer of this industry.
Hunsaker's personal crystal ball predicts networked satellites with individual IP addresses controlled through the Internet & providing individualized positioning, communications, social & multimedia capability.Perhaps just like personal computing & cell phones that have common utility among individual consumers today, smallsats will also follow that trend, said colleague Tom Hunsaker, also an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton.
Bille concluded: The age of microspacecraft is on solid ground now. There's a definite trend toward putting small things together to do big accomplishments.
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