In the quest to harness the wealth of information orbiting above us in space, ITouch-FI has taken a significant step by establishing a no-rotator SatNOGS ground station at Cukurova University Science Park. This installation is not only a milestone for the ITouch-FI team but also a beacon of progress in the world of open-source space exploration and satellite tracking. By choosing the no-rotator model, ITouch-FI has streamlined the process of joining the global network, eliminating the need for the complex and costly mechanical systems required to track satellites across the sky.
This ground station, equipped with a fixed antenna system, is ingeniously designed to capture signals from satellites as they transit above. Even without the dynamic tracking capability, the station is more than capable of collecting a wealth of data from the plethora of satellites that pass overhead on a daily basis. By doing so, ITouch-FI contributes to the SatNOGS database—a repository of open-source satellite data accessible to researchers, hobbyists, and educational institutions worldwide.
The strategic placement of the ground station within the Cukurova University Science Park underscores the commitment of ITouch-FI to foster a culture of innovation and learning. This endeavor not only provides students and researchers with hands-on experience in satellite communications but also solidifies the university’s role in the global network of ground stations. As the ITouch-FI team collaborates with SatNOGS, they are not only expanding the frontiers of their own knowledge but are also enriching the entire space exploration community with valuable data that was once locked away in the vacuum of space.