Open-source astronomy hardware
PulsarFab makes open-source hardware for the observatory: dew heater controllers that keep optics clear, and a mount guard that stops a crash before it happens. Open firmware, open PCBs, standard astronomy protocols.
STM32 & ESP32-S3 · ASCOM Alpaca · Apache firmware · CERN-OHL-S hardware
Built to sit in the cold and just work. Every project is open hardware and open firmware — read the design, flash your own, or spin the PCB. No lock-in, standard interfaces, and code you can audit.
Projects
Controllers and safety gear for imaging rigs and mounts.
A compact USB dew heater controller on an STM32G0, running STM32 HAL + FreeRTOS. Keep dew off your optics from a laptop or hub.
🚧 In developmentA WiFi dew heater controller on an ESP32-S3 speaking ASCOM Alpaca, so it drops straight into your imaging software over the network.
🚧 In developmentAn inline USB host/device for Sky-Watcher mounts that interrupts motion before the OTA hits the pier or the cables crunch. STM32F405, dual-USB.
🌱 BootstrappedWhy open
ASCOM Alpaca and plain USB, so PulsarFab gear works with the software and mounts you already run.
Firmware is Apache-2.0; PCBs are CERN-OHL-S. Read exactly what runs on the hardware near your telescope.
Designed for real nights: cold, damp, and unattended. Safety logic that fails safe, not silent.
Schematics, BOMs, and firmware are public — build one yourself or adapt it to your setup.