Astro Pi 2 – Raspberry Pi Foundation
In 2021 Raspberry Pi approached JWD to support the development of the second generation of upgraded Raspberry Pi computers to be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the ongoing European Astro Pi Challenge. The project, a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
The original Astro Pi computers, nicknamed “Ed” and “Izzy,” were sent to the ISS with British ESA astronaut Tim Peake in 2015. Equipped with a basic 5-megapixel camera and a Sense HAT (Hardware Attached on Top) sensor board, these units ran programs from more than 54,000 young participants over several years before returning to Earth in 2022 for a well-earned rest. The need for the “Astro Pi 2” arose as the performance of the original units became outdated and their batteries expired. The upgraded units represent a significant performance leap, moving from a Raspberry Pi 1 to a Raspberry Pi 4 model, which offers approximately 40 times the performance.
The new units, named “Nikola Tesla” and “Marie Curie” by participants, were designed and built in collaboration with ESA and the Raspberry Pi Foundation. They include enhanced features to enable more complex experiments inclusing a 12-megapixel High Quality Camera with detachable optics for detailed Earth observation. A machine learning accelerator (Coral machine learning dongle) to allow on-orbit AI experiments, and an updated Sense HAT board with new sensors and an LED matrix.
The two new units underwent a rigorous safety and certification process, including vibration and thermal tests, before launching to the ISS on the SpaceX CRS-24 mission in December 2021.
The Astro Pi 2 hardware has expanded the possibilities for student-led science experiments in space, allowing projects that involve cloud height calculations, vegetation health analysis, and the mapping of the Earth’s magnetic field. The project has engaged over 160,000 participants since its inception in 2015, continuing its mission to inspire young people in STEM fields through the remarkable European Astro Pi Challenge.
Deliverables: Product concept, 3D CAD part design, design for manufacture, product graphics, animation and production support
