simulating the real Astro Pi (on the ground)

[W. H. Heydt]

It's been mentioned that the Astro Pis that are going to the ISS are (a) Model B+, (b) running a special version of Raspbian Wheezy, and (c) have special cases.

The cases are, of course, really out of the question to be duplicated or sold for anything affordable by mere mortals. The Model B+ are easy to obtain, so no issues there. Would it be possible to set up a download of the specific version of Raspbian that is going to be flown so that those on the ground who wish to demo the SenseHAT and talk about Pis in space could run the "proper" OS on them?

[ThomasS]

There is no "special" version of Raspbian as far as I know. If you install the sense python library and attach the Sense HAT then you pretty much have the same software as that used aboard the ISS.

[scotty101]

There is also a "Master Control Program" which hasn't been released. It allows the Astronaut to select which program to run.

[DougieLawson]

There is also a "Master Control Program" which hasn't been released. It allows the Astronaut to select which program to run.

The RPF should release a downloadable zipped *.IMG of the installed software base and all the school's project code they're going to fly on the ISS so that anyone who wants to mirror Tim Peake's work down here on terra-firma can run up their own B+ RPi with the Astro HAT. Perhaps we'll see that happen on launch day of the Principia mission.

https://space.blog.gov.uk/category/principia/