DIY Instruments for Amateur Space

Alexander "Sandy" Antunes (born 1967 in Baltimore, Maryland) is a Maryland-area astronomer, author, and role playing game designer. He graduated from Boston University in 1989 with a dual major in astronomy and physics, received a Masters in astronomy from Penn State in 1992, and received his PhD in computational astrophysics from George Mason University in 2005. He was the Maryland Science Center "Science Person of the Month" for May 2007.

Chapter 1 Understanding Measurement
Brainstorming
Chapter 2 Introduction to Instruments
Parameterizing a Mission
Mission Domains
Licensing
Look at Past Missions
Chapter 3 By Wavelength
The Spectrum
Gamma and X-rays
Ultraviolet
Violet and Blue
Cyan and Green
Yellow and Orange
Infrared
Microwave, Submillimeter, and Radio
Chapter 4 Fundamental Detector Types
The Eternal Fight: Resolution Versus Brightness
Active Detectors
Tradeoffs
Imaging Detectors
Sampling and Bandwidth Calculations
Chapter 5 Detectors and Instruments and Sensors, Oh My!
Attitude
Pointing Observations
Sensors
Deployable Payloads
Operational Demo
Sample Names
Chapter 6 Colors and Brightness
Brightness
Chapter 7 Resolution, By the Numbers
Detector Bins
What About Noise?
At a Glance
Filters
Digitization
Chapter 8 Noise
Signal-to-Noise (S/N)
Types of Noise
Adding Noises
Chapter 9 Calibration
Response Function
Calibration Protocols
Real Versus "Book" Voltages
Chapter 10 Protocols
Sensor Readout Theory
Wiring Sensors and Sampling
Clocks and Sampling Rates
I2C
TTL/UART/Serial/RS232
SPI
Controller Area Network
Musical Instrument Digital Interface
About Standards
Chapter 11 Instrument Modes
Dynamic Range
Defining Multiple Instrument Modes
Triggering
Non-Photon Detectors (And in situ)
CPUs
Communications Limits
Amateur (HAM) Radio
Chapter 12 Off-the-Shelf Sensor Hardware
Shopping
Particle Damage
"Project Calliope" Sample Sensor Loadout
Chapter 13 Committing, Freezing, Moving Forward
Buy Many

Appendix Exercises
JWST Build-a-Satellite
Solve a Decadal Problem for All of Humanity
Colophon