HACKER Q&A
📣 101008

Hobby “space” projects for developers? Or something like that?


Hello, I have a Master in Computer Science and I almost 15 years of experience working in the private sector, developing API, architectures designs, in large companies, startups, etc. I am currently working as a "CTO" (between quotes) in a new startup, defining scopes, architectures, doing dev work, also devops, etc.

However, I noticed I enjoy everything space related: books, films, tv shows. And I thought it would be nice to work on a place like that (although the dream is to work a place like NASA, I know it is impossible). Anyway, I wonder if there are any amateur projects to do as a hobbyst, space related. I dont know if you can rent a satelite and do stuff (a là DigitalOcean), or something like that.

Does anyone has any resource on how to start doing some projects that could land in a career in space-related?

Thanks!

  👤 msadowski Accepted Answer ✓
Not strictly what you are looking for but I can recommend the Orbital Index Newsletter (https://orbitalindex.com/). You might find some interesting projects in their awesome space repo: https://github.com/orbitalindex/awesome-space
👤 ivars
I know nothing about the space related career, but have you checked out AstroPy tutorials? They seem pretty nice to wet your appetite and maybe spring up some ideas.

http://learn.astropy.org/

👤 schappim
Exodus Orbitals[1] say they will rent one to you.

https://www.exodusorbitals.com/

👤 4x5-Guy
You could always start doing high powered rocketry. Some of the current rocket companies started that way. You could also develop a payload and test it as well.
👤 sigmaprimus
How about AMSAT?

https://www.amsat.org

Plus you get to have all the fun of learning and getting your HAM! (73 VE7XML)