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The Cabin >> Raspberry and Other Pies >> Build Your Own Damn Astro Pi!
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Message started by Fernando on Jun 2^nd, 2017, 4:15pm

Title: Build Your Own Damn Astro Pi!
Post by Fernando on Jun 2^nd, 2017, 4:15pm

The European Space Agency has begun adding European schools to the Astro Pi Project by adding more Astro Pis to the Space Station.

I know that there was some 32+ Astro Pies up in the Space Station to accommodate the UK system and 200 more were supposed to have been sent up but one of the Space X Rockets blew up on the launch pad, forcing schools to build another Astro Pi or submit their Ground Units as a replacement. They were able to sent up about 100 or so Pies on the next launch for the UK School System with some schools sharing R-Pies instead of having their own. This worked great for everyone.

Last summer another shipment of Astro Pies were sent up but I could not figure out for who. Then that article hit me on the face. The European Space Agency signed up schools through out Europe to be part of the project and as soon as they had the Astro Pies set up in Space (and the Schools set up with their own Astro Pi on the ground), the mission began. Phase 1 of that mission has been completed and it is a success:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/blog/european-astro-pi-mission-complete/

But the Astro Pi's in space (and in schools) are in a metal (Aluminum) enclosure. Only those schools participating in the program gets an Astro Pi in its shiny metal box.

Many hobbyists want their own Astro Pi as well and some made their own with what was known. This got the Raspberry Pi Foundation to put together their own from a 3D Printer. There are kits that includes the parts for making a Astro Pi, but you need to make the 3D Case yourself. The 3D Files are in the Worksheet webpage (link Below)

On top of this, you will need a Raspberry Pi Model B+, R-Pi 2 or R-Pi 3; a Sense Hat, and a Pi Camera (They recommend the sensitive one that can do light and IR, and not the regular one that only sees in visible light). But due note - The Astro Pies in the Space Station are the Model B+. The R-Pi 2 and R-Pi 3 run too hot for the Space Station environment. This may explain why the Model B+ is still being made.

Raspberry Pi Foundation Astro Pi Resource Page (including instructions and files how to make one):
https://www.raspberrypi.org/learning/astro-pi-flight-case/
https://www.raspberrypi.org/learning/astro-pi-flight-case/requirements/
https://www.raspberrypi.org/learning/astro-pi-flight-case/worksheet/

YouTube: Build Your Own Astro Pi:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmJOA6WzfZw

Parts for the Astro Pi:
http://cpc.farnell.com/ucreate/uc-apk-comp1/astro-pi-component-kit-budget/dp/SC14158

Title: Re: Build Your Own Damn Astro Pi!
Post by Hondo I. Sackett on Jun 2^nd, 2017, 6:27pm

That is cool. Really want a ratherboard though. Not sure if they fizzled or what.

Title: Re: Build Your Own Damn Astro Pi!
Post by Fernando on Jun 2^nd, 2017, 7:53pm

I checked out the Ratherboard. It's a nice board. The website is still up, so who knows. Google it and see if there are some people selling it. Microcenter might but their inventory is different for every store.

Going back to the Astro Pi, it would not take much to modify it for the Model A, A+, B and R-Pi 0 boards. I would like to see it on other boards as well, like the O-Pi Zero series, Mini, Lite and One boards. Even the Nano Pi, Banana Pi and Beagle Bone Black.

Title: Re: Build Your Own Damn Astro Pi!
Post by Hondo I. Sackett on Jun 2^nd, 2017, 8:12pm

That would make it a bit better

Title: Re: Build Your Own Damn Astro Pi!
Post by Fernando on Jun 3^rd, 2017, 1:24pm

What I find funny is the European Space Agency (ESA) requirement of how hot a device can be in the space station. With the Astro Pi, it can not go above 100F degrees.

Thing is this, the R-Pi 2 and R-Pi 3 can get as hot as 180 - 200 F degrees if over clocked and without a heat sink (around 150 - 170 is not over clocked).

The guys at O-Pi group did the homework. Since many of the smaller O-Pi units are like the R-Pi 2 & 3; quad core CPU at about 1GHz.

Without a heat sink running stock 1-1.2GHz, it will get to about 180 - 200 F degrees.
With a heat sink running stock 1-1.2GHz, it will get to about 130 - 170 F degrees.
With a heat sink and a fan running stock 1-1.2GHz, it will get to about 80- 100 F degrees.

The issue here is the fan. As designed the Astro Pi does not have a heat sink on the chips. It is designed to take the heat from the board and then disperse it. With a bit of modification, an on-chip heat sink can be added to the Astro Pi. But as is, it is made to work on the R-Pi Model B+, which is a single core CPU running at 700MHz. This keeps the system at around a warm 75 - 80 F degrees. This I reason why the Model B+ is still being made - for the Astro Pies.

As nice as one would want it, the R-Pi Zero can not be used because it is over clocked to 1GHz on a single core CPU, it runs too hot for the Astro Pi if it does not have a heat sink. And their idea of using a board mounted antenna in both the R-Pi 3 and R-Pi 0, the metal case of the Astro Pi means that they can not use wifi or bluetooth. The O-Pies have a detachable cable/antenna on their wireless boards, so one can mount the antenna outside the Astro Pi Case.

Interesting design flaws, which can be over come with some work.

And though the Sense Hat has so many sensors on it, that LED Board throws me off. for me a Mini Screen would be better.