It's Not Just A Cool Decoration For Your Desk

A couple of entrepreneurs who were not even teenagers when the Apollo 11 mission first placed men on the Moon have launched a Kickstarter campaign to build replicas of the DSKY (Display Keyboard) interface used on every Apollo mission.

On an Apollo spacecraft, the DSKY was centrally mounted on the console giving them easy access to all major functions of the spacecraft. The replica, created by S&T Geotronics, in an open source arduino based replica. Using the same interface as the Nasa Astronauts used on their trips to the Moon and back, you enter a selection of VERBS and NOUNS to command the computer.

MIT custom created for the Astronauts a very simple, straightforward, yet very efficient user interface. S&T Geotronics says they used their creative license to replace some of the programs that do nothing without a Saturn 5 Rocket or a Command Module retro boosters to play sound clips from the era and rocket sound effects. They are producing our units with the utmost attention to detail. Using the same simple Verbs/Nouns command combinations the astronauts used, (and a few of our own) you can:

• Display your GPS coordinates
• Monitor the Distance to Target with Speed and ETA.
• Display the Time
• Look at Gyroscope values and react
• Set various Alarms
• Play various Audio/Music/Sound effect MP3 files
• Set various Count-Up and/or Count-Down Timers

The unit has a lighted keypad and  is upgradable via USB.

The company plans to produce only 100 Kickstarter Limited Edition units by hand. These are sold first come first served, and will ship with a numbered & signed Certificate of Authenticity.

The company set an initial goal of 20,000 goal to tool up and produce all units, and has already climbed through their stretch goal of $50,000 pledged by 131 backers.

(Image from Kickstarter page)

FMI: www.kickstarter.com/projects/438986934/open-dsky-apollo-50th-anniversary-make-100?ref=project_tweet