A Bintroduction to electronics

So, whether you’re building an instrument to help measure climate change, or you just want some cool photos of your Hot Wheels car in space, you’ll need some kind of electronics to go along with it.

If electronics and coding aren’t your jam, don’t worry! You’ll also need structural engineers (to help make sure your payload physically connects to the spacecraft), scientists (to design your experiments and interpret your data), and team members to help with project management, documentation, and outreach.

If electronics and coding are your jam, this kit will help you to practice some of the fundamental skills required to build a payload for a Binar cubesat.

This introductory activity will give you a chance to practice:

• Prototyping a project using a breadboard
• Selecting a component and reading a data sheet
• Programming a microcontroller
• Reading and interpreting input from a sensor using a microcontroller
• Responding to a command from outside your circuit

Each step of this project builds on the last, so keep your projects assembled between steps if you can.

0. WATCH FIRST! 2023 Updates to the Bintro Box Parts + Papercraft

Since wrapping up the pilot phase of the BinarX Student Payload Development Program, we have modified or changed some of the components in the Bintroduction to Electronics boxes. So please watch this video first if you’ve got one of our new Bintro Boxes (v2) from October 2023 onwards, then you’ll be ready to work through the rest of the awesome video activities created by Rocky and the rest of the team at the Binar Space Program!

Parts

These are the parts that have been changed in the newer versions of the Bintro Boxes (v2), if you’ve received one from us since October 2023. (Note that some boxes did not include the USB Micro Cables or 9V Batteries, but these have since been added).

For this project, we’ll be attaching a piece of prototyping gear called a breadboard, and some wires called jumper wires, to our bus. These let us plug and unplug components without having to solder them in permanently. If you’ve never used a breadboard before, you should read this tutorial before you get started.


These components form the basis of your project, and will be used to connect all your other components together. They’ll also be handy prototyping supplies to have around when you start work on your full payload.

You’ll find these components in the bottom section of your box, if you got one from us.

Equipment

You will also need some extra equipment outside of what’s provided in the box:

• Multimeter
• USB Micro to USB A Cable (Make sure it’s one that carries data as well as power – some don’t!)
• Windows computer, with at least one USB port and the ability to install the Arduino IDE software.

1. Powering up

The first thing we need to do is turn our battery voltage into something a little bit smaller and more consistent. On the spacecraft, your payload will be supplied with anywhere from 6.0-8.4 volts, depending on how much charge the batteries have. In this kit, we’re using a 9v battery, which will also decrease slowly as the battery discharges.

In this part of our project, we’ll use a regulator to drop that down to the 5v our components use, and some capacitors to make sure there are no sudden changes.

Parts

You’ll find these in the top row, first left compartment of your box.

Equipment

• Multimeter

Instructions

2. Sending a message

Now that we have the power supply we need, we’re going to get our microcontroller up and running, and test it by blinking an LED.

Microcontrollers let us use code to interact with our circuit. They let us measure what’s going on in the parts of the circuit they’re connected to, and control parts of that circuit based on what we measure.

We’ll be putting code on our microcontroller from a computer using a device called a programmer. Before you start this part of your project, you’ll need to set your programmer up by following the instructions found here. You might also find the Arduino Micro Pinout useful to print and have on hand – but when updating your code in Arduino IDE, refer to the numbers printed on the physical board next to each of the pins.

(If you’re using the Bintro Box v1 with the ATTiny85s, set up your programmer by following the instructions found here. You might also find the ATTiny Quick Reference Sheet useful to print and have on hand.

Parts

You’ll find these in the top row, second left compartment of your box.

(If you’re using the old Bintro Box v1, use these parts instead of the ones listed above)

Equipment

• Windows PC with at least one USB port

Instructions

Need help? Check the Interactive Schematic & Arduino Micro Code.
(If using the older Bintro Box v1 with the ATTiny85, you can refer to the ATTiny85 Interactive Schematic & ATTiny85 Code.

3. Receiving commands

Our cubesat can blink out a message to us – so how do we send one back?

For this activity, we’re using a button, but the same principles apply whether we’re a cubesat getting commands from the ground or a payload getting commands from our spacecraft bus.

You can find out more about how interrupts work here, and more about the various interrupts available on the Arduino Micro by looking at the datasheet.

(If using the older Bintro Box V1 with the ATTiny85, you can view the various interrupts available on the ATTiny85 by looking at the corresponding datasheet).

Parts

You’ll find these in the third top row compartment of your box.

Equipment

• Windows PC with at least one USB port

Instructions

Need help? Check the Interactive Schematic & Arduino Micro Code.
(If using the older Bintro Box v1 with the ATTiny85, you can refer to the ATTiny85 Interactive Schematic & ATTiny85 Code.

4. Making measurements

We’re going to add a temperature sensor (and an extra LED) to our circuit. By measuring how many volts are coming from the output pin of this sensor, we can determine whether the sensor is above or below a particular temperature, and light up the right LED.

This one will require some experimentation to calibrate. Having a selection of hot and cold items on hand to test might be useful.

You can find the equations we refer to in the video in the datasheet for our temperature sensor.

Parts

You’ll find these in the fourth top row compartment of your box.

Equipment

• Windows PC with at least one USB port
• Multimeter

Instructions

Need help? Check the Interactive Schematic & Arduino Micro Code.
(If using the older Bintro Box v1 with the ATTiny85, you can refer to the ATTiny85 Interactive Schematic & ATTiny85 Code.

5. Looking with light

We’re going to modify our circuit to detect light, instead of temperature. We’re still measuring how many volts our sensor gives our microcontroller, but we’re using slightly simpler components, so we’ll have to do an extra couple of steps ourselves to get it working.

Parts

You’ll find these in the fourth top row compartment of your box.

Equipment

• Windows PC with at least one USB port
• Multimeter

Instructions

Need help? Check the Interactive Schematic & Arduino Micro Code.
(If using the older Bintro Box v1 with the ATTiny85, you can refer to the Interactive Schematic & ATTiny85 Code.