The HyperQube is designed to be the world's most powerful CubeSat - inexpensive, highly secure and capable of nearly any mission.
This project will only be funded if at least $230,000 is pledged by .
We interact with space dozens of times a day. GPS, point of sale, maps, weather. Space-enabled data makes our modern life possible. Yet few people know the companies operating the satellites. Fewer still have access to the satellites themselves.
Weebill wants to change that.
Why? Because we now stand on the cusp of a new era of space adventure. Advances in technology and changes in communication are rewriting the rules of the business.
The fundamental vision of Weebill is a simple one; we see a future where space becomes easily accessible, affordable and open to all.
We want to spark this movement.
Weebill’s HyperQube satellite offers the most powerful CubeSat available on the market in an incredibly small 10cm³ chassis while being readily available to the public for the extraordinary price of $50 000AUD.
Available to all, capable of limitless missions, the HyperQube will be the best orbiting platform for the surging space-enabled data market.* With a new space economy springing up, this unit will be able to conduct a greater variety of tasks than similarly sized, less powerful satellites.
The HyperQube encrypts incoming and outgoing data with the best in industry standards – AES-256bit, Serpent 256bit & TwoFish 256bit on all incoming and outgoing data with absolutely no interruption to operations.
Most satellites have little to no encryption system in place, a worrying trend given the expected growth in orbitals and their applications. With HyperQube, your data will be scanned and encrypted through your browser, which is then sent to our master servers. From there, the data is compressed and encrypted further, making sure it's safe to send. It is then transferred to the ground-stations for transmission. The whole process is fast, easy and safe.
Funding will allow further testing of shielding and on-board redundancies to ensure smooth operation in space.
In the heart of the HyperQube lies 6 Weebill Atoms working together as one, otherwise known as the X6. The Atom is based of the 64bit ARM architecture and has been tested and proven for reliability and low-energy requirements. The X6 features 24-cores at 1.6GHz and 12GB of high-performance DDR3 RAM. That's up to 700GFLOPS of processing power available from a 10cm³ satellite. Something unheard of until now.
The HyperQube will be powered by atomOS, our non-embedded Linux-based distribution built from the ground up. It provides a hardened operating system built for security, stability and speed. The OS will be released once the HyperQube has flown at least once. Regular security patches will be updated over the air, ensuring the HyperQube will always be the the most secure satellite out there.
Backers will also receive a copy of the Weebill Ground Control application. Allowing you to check on the satellite's location and status, see the latest images, check on development updates and much more.
The HyperQube is versatile machine, with an open-ended design that can support a variety of functions both in communication with the ground and autonomously. The CubeSat can be deployed for single purpose or mixed missions. For those who purchase the CubeSat, or obtain time on it as a perk, a HyperQube will allow you to:
After successful funding, the Weebill HyperQube will be available to the public from July 2017 on our website for $50 000AUD.
Companies are recognizing the wide application of space-enabled data, and consequently, the new commercial uses of space itself. Financial technology start-ups are nibbling into the transaction flows of legacy banks. They are matching lenders with borrowers, distributing pay via mobile phones, and flocking to niches existing banks are prevented from servicing. Weebill represents an early-to-market solution for a domain where regulated banks don't currently dominate. It has the ability to conduct transactions on a highly encrypted platform. As the nature of banking changes and splinters, Weebill will be positioned to service the flow of transactions including Bitcoin and digital currency Hyper Ledger.
But the business uses for the HyperQube aren't just limited to banking. A few others are:
Currently, our demonstrator mission can be ready for the launch to Low Earth Orbit with spectrum access available by January 2017. The launch window is between February - July 2017. If Weebill raises the $AUD230,000 needed for the first launch, a powerful new tool will become a reality for the space-faring public. The HyperQube’s applications are limited only by your imagination.
My name is Gavrilo "Gav" Koncar. I'm the founder of Weebill. I believe that the advances in computing that have revolutionised communication will soon redefine define space, opening up the frontier to individuals in a way unthinkable only a few years before. I believe space activity will soon be in everyone’s hands. Weebill will make that possible.
Weebill was founded in 2014 with the simple goal of placing an imaging telescope in space. After a few months had passed, we decided that the marketplace for imaging devices was already well-served. But in our design-phase we came upon something: inside the core of the telescope was one of the most powerful motherboards designed for space. Since then we have focused on perfecting the board and making it available on a mass scale, with one core belief; space needs to be open, secure and available to many.
Our team includes Dr Jason Held as our principle adviser. Jason is a former US Army expert in military space missions. Jason's experience with the Hubble and International Space Station provides Weebill Space Systems with connections to other manufacturers and partners within the industry as well as direct contact to various government organisations.
Our primary satellite engineer is Dusan Djordjevic, who holds a dual bachelors in Science and Engineering.
So, what's in the name? The smallest bird in Australia is the Weebill. It's an extremely nimble creature, fast and more than able to thrive alongside Australia's larger, louder species. Weebill Space Systems is also a native of Australia. We develop our technologies in the same spirit: small, nimble and incredibly effective. All our products are designed and created in Melbourne, Australia.
Mission Control is supplied by Saber Astronautics. The founders represent a wide array of backgrounds and capabilities, combining traditional space engineering, and military space operations. Their engineers helped develop the Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station. Saber is based in Sydney and Denver.
Our primary rocket launch contractors are AU Aerospace, who specialize in CubeSat launches. They're based in Adelaide.
The build of the satellite itself will be in-house here in Melbourne, Australia while extensive testing will occur at UNSW Space Research Facility in Canberra. This will be done multiple times to ensure a maximum chance of success.
Of the funding sought, $AUD55,000 will be used for the production of the first HyperQube. The launch window (February 2016 - July 2017) is expected to cost $AUD50,000. There is an additional cost of $AUD75,000 for insurance of the launch and $AUD20,000 for mission control by Saber Astronautics. Regulatory changes in Australia may soon favor small satellite launches, which may possibly reduce costs, as well.
*Subject to any applicable export control restrictions
There is the risk radiation interferes with the HyperQube's computing functions. We will test the CubeSats circuitry in space-like conditions at UNSW Canberra before launch. The funding we are seeking will cover the laboratory testing cost needed for maximum assurance of space-readiness.
It's possible there will be communication problems with the HyperCube, which can lead to a loss of the high-speed communications systems. Our backup UHF system will be in place for this specific situation and can be used to diagnose and restart the communications in full speed.
The HyperQube could fail to function upon launch. If that happened, it would likely be possible to collect data which could help advance a follow-on mission. In the event that the rocket carrying the HyperQube fails, insurance could reimburse company for the cost - providing funding for a second attempt.
Please understand that space is extremely difficult and unpredictable in regards to satellites operating. In case our mission is cut short and you don't receive your time on the satellite, you will receive it on the next launch.
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