The Android Open 2011 conference was held in San Francisco in early October and videos of some of the key note speeches and talks is now available on the O'Reilly media website.
One of the most interesting talks was given by Will Marshall from NASA who are working on using the original Google Nexus One phone (made by HTC and much like the later HTC Desire) as the processing capability for a range of experimental low cost and open source satellites. The aim is to build Android powered satellites for around $75,000 instead of the current $10 - $200 million for "small" or even $0.5-$1 billion or more for a major satellite. The irony is that these Android Nexus One powered satellites will actually be launching into space the most powerful processors of any previous satellites.
The first launch is scheduled for December 2011, with more launches of updated satellites next year. However, early testing resulting in a failed launch which exerted forces greater than 1,000g during a crash. This resulted in merely a smashed screen and the phone and memory card itself still worked. Well done HTC.
