By Andrew Liszewski
From Japan-based Astro Research Corporation comes the world’s first personal satellite which is essentially a 10 inch square cube covered in solar cells and weighing in at around 44 pounds. Nothing too innovative until you consider the cost. While $860,000 is not exactly walking around money for most people it covers the cost of the satellite itself as well as the launch and operational/monitoring services for the life of the craft.
Jokes about it being “the perfect gift for someone with everything” aside, the MySat makes space more accessible to commercial businesses, public institutions and research communities who don’t necessarily have access to hundreds of millions of dollars. The satellite can also be customized and equipped with different instruments depending on the owner’s specific needs and once launched will maintain a low earth orbit for about 20-30 years.