Homemade Satellite to Hit Space Soon

A 34-year-old South Korean artist is the first individual to send a homemade satellite into orbit, after securing contact with French Technology Company to get his device launched into space.

 A homemade, basement built satellite by Song Ho-Jun has his own DIY sputnik. His creation is remarkable as it is the first satellite to be built entirely by a single person and is due to launch later this year.

"Making a satellite is no more difficult than making a cellphone. I believe that not just a satellite, but anything can be made with the help of the Internet and social platforms. I chose a satellite to show that symbolically," said Song Hojun, 34, who said he built the $500 OpenSat to show people they could achieve their dreams.

Being an engineering student, he tries to incorporate modern technology into his work. He first created a piece called 'Apple', which uses lightbulbs that would ripen, turning from green to red as people took photos with a flash.

He got this unique idea of creating OpenSat, while he was interning for a private satellite company. The professionals from France and Slovenia offered Song complete support in order to make sure his projects works as he was not representing any company or military.

OpenSat weighs a single kilogram, measuring 10 cubic centimetres. It'll transmit information about its working battery status, the temperature, and the rotating speed of its solar panel. If you operate a radio, you can even communicate with OpenSat. It will launch in December, from the infamous Baikonur Cosmodrome.

The components cost only 500,000 won ($440). But the cost for launching it hit 120 million won after Song signed a contract with NovaNano, a French technology company, which acted as a broker to arrange the launch, including submitting paperwork and finding a rocket.