A group of space enthusiasts have come together to build ISS MIMIC, a 3D-printed, 1:100 scale model of the International Space Station that runs off live telemetry data to mimic the actual positioning of its solar arrays and radiators. It uses a Raspberry Pi to display all of the telemetry in an interesting manner, while Arduino related microcontrollers are used to receive this data.
These microcontrollers receive the data from the Raspberry Pi and then use it to control a 3D-printed model of the ISS in real-time. This means that all of the solar arrays, radiators, and outboard truss are capable of rotating to match the ISS joint angles. For example, the ISS orbits the Earth once every 90-minutes or so, and the LEDs on this model change color as it enters the shadow of our planet or leaves. Github page here.
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Photo credit: HCPL
We are still working on the high fidelity upgrade and trying to make the ISS look as detailed as possible while still being printable. The software is still a work in progress, too. But from the standpoint of receiving telemetry and transmitting it to the Arduinos, the basic functionality is finished. The finishing touches on the software are all for visualizing the telemetry,” said its creators.
