Guildford scientists' space smartphone launched

SPACE scientists in Guildford are celebrating the launch of a satellite which will carry the first smartphone designed to work in orbit.

STRaND-1, a "phonesat" developed by a team from Surrey Space Centre (SSC) and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), has been launched into space from India.

The 4.3kg spacecraft includes a Google Nexus One running on an Android operating system loaded with experimental apps to test how the phone works in space.

The team will operate STRaND 1 from SSC' ground control at University of Surrey.

Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, SSC Director and also Executive Chairman of SSTL, said: "STRaND-1 from SSC and SSTL is an example of the real synergy of academic research linked to commercial development and exploitation that is the hallmark of Surrey.

"This mission is a fantastic achievement and a great tribute to the hard work of the engineers involved. The UK's first nanosatellite SNAP-1, also built by SSC & SSTL and launched in 2000, was the world's most advanced nanosatellite at the time – STRaND-1 continues that story with the latest technologies available to us in 2013."