Categories: Science

That’s not a UFO! It’s just a Japanese satellite flashing a Morse code message from space

When you look into the night’s sky over the next month don’t be surprised if you see something that looks like a UFO overhead – it’s just a tiny Japanese satellite flashing a secret message in Morse code back to Earth.

Measuring 10 cm (about 4 inches) the box-shaped Japanese satellite, nicknamed Niwaka, will be flashing a Morse coded message back to Earth to become the first orbiting technology to communicate with the planet through visible LEDs.

Niwaka satellite. via fit.ac.jp/

Astronauts on board the International Space Station officially “launched” the satellite from the Japanese “Hope” laboratory on the ISS today.  The satellite will orbit the Earth 16 times a day and last about 100 days.

The message was just meant to be seen over Japan but the satellite’s designers received dozens of requests from people around the world asking if the message could be flashed over their countries.

Speaking to the AFP Takushi Tanaka, professor at The Fukuoka Institute of Technology, said

Requests came from far more people than I expected — a man in Silicon Valley wanted to see it while another man wanted us to flash it over Central Park in New York,” he added;

“There is no practical aim to this, but it is a fun experiment that everybody can join.”

The satellite will use different coloured LEDs to ensure that the message stands out against the night’s sky.  People in the Northern Hemisphere will see the message flashed in green while those in the Southern Hemisphere will the message in red.  But regardless of where you are you will probably need a set of binoculars to see it clearly (not to mention a cloudless night).

Niwaka doesn’t just contain two sets of LEDs; it also comes with an on-board camera and communications equipment to allow it to broadcast images of the Earth to Japan.  This is the real function of the satellite, to test high-speed data transmission back to the planet.

Oh, and what’s the secret Morse code message?  The satellite will be flashing, “Hi this is Niwaka Japan” which should look something like this;

Hi This is Niwaka Japan
…. ..   – …. .. … ..  …  -. .. .– .- -.- .-  .— .- .–. .- -.

Featured image via bigstockphoto.com

Ajit Jain

Ajit Jain is marketing and sales head at Octal Info Solution, a leading iPhone app development company and offering platform to hire Android app developers for your own app development project. He is available to connect on Google Plus, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

View Comments

Recent Posts

MWC 2025 Barcelona was the ultimate experiential marketing dream

Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona is the biggest annual event in the mobile technology…

7 hours ago

GAN, Tec de Monterrey partnership highlights cross-border startup ecosystem building in Latin America amid trade dispute

Despite recent tensions between the United States government and Latin American countries over migration and…

4 days ago

This founder started out with US $5K to his name. Now, he owns a multi-million-dollar global business

Meet Nitin Seth, the Co-Founder and CEO of Screen Magic (SMS Magic), a messaging leader…

5 days ago

Building smarter: AI, the ultimate tool transforming an old-age industry

In this Brains Byte Back, we sit down with Hari Vasudevan, founder and CEO of…

5 days ago

When AI Goes Rogue: 8 Lessons from Implementing LLMs in the Healthcare Industry that Could Save the Future

By Santosh Shevade, Principal Data Consultant at Gramener – A Straive company All pharmaceutical companies…

6 days ago

Digital Public Infrastructure will enable public, private entities to control your access to essential goods, services & mobility

Digital Public Infrastructure is a top-down agenda coming from unelected globalists, bureaucrats, and their partners…

2 weeks ago