The DIY Cosmo Clock Changes Color Every Time an Astronaut Enters Space

As of this writing, a total of 566 people have gone to space. That’s according to Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) classifications, which recognize anyone who has gone higher than an altitude of 100 km (62.14 miles). That’s a largely arbitrary classification, as there is no clearly-defined “edge” of space, but it’s as good a classification as any. That makes astronauts one of the most elite groups of men and women in history, and every time an astronaut enters space it is a monumental achievement. To celebrate those achievements, the Cosmo Clock changes color every time an astronaut enters space.

The Cosmo Clock was designed by Arpan Mondal, who has written up a tutorial on how astronomy and space travel enthusiasts can build their own. Its primary function is to be a normal — though stylish — analog clock. But it has two secondary functions: to display a Morse code message around the clock’s outer edge in glowing light, and to notify you whenever an astronaut goes to space by changing those LEDs to another color. The light comes from a standard common-cathode RGB LED, so you can set it up to show whatever color you want normally and when an astronaut notification comes through.

The clock’s analog hands are attached to a small timekeeping mechanism from a wristwatch, which was chosen because it’s small and easy to fit inside of the project. That said, the clock mechanism isn’t connected to any of the other electronics, so you can use whatever kind you prefer. A NodeMCU ESP8266 board is used to control the RGB LED. That has built-in WiFi, which is how it’s able to check if an astronaut has gone into space. The Blynk IoT service runs on the NodeMCU, and that connects to an IFTTT applet to check NASA’s public API to see if an astronaut has entered space. Mondal used cardboard, an old plastic lid from the kitchen, and some paint to make the enclosure, but points out that a 3D printer would make things a lot easier. The finished clock looks fantastic, and is a great way to keep up with what’s going on in space.