India launches world’s first “Phonesat” smart phone successfully launched into orbit. Loaded with a number of experimental ‘Apps’, some services some just for fun. The Mission was designed to test commercial technologies in outerspace. This launch was SSTL’s first with ISRO.

STRaND-1-smartphone nanosatellite / Credit: SSTL/ Surrey Space Centre

The British built Strand-1 Spacecraft, a nano satellite developed by scientists in Surrey was sent into orbit from Sriharikota in India. To test the capabilities of a standard smartphone in a space environment.

Amateur radio operators can track STRaND-1 from across the world. Details of frequency are available at www.amsat-uk.org