Hi All,
In response to Trevor's questions, the current board design is about 3.2 cm x 3.2 cm x 4 mm. At that size, we can fit about 200 in a 1U CubeSat (stacked 3x3x22). We're pretty sure we can thin that down a little more by using thinner PCBs. If we get way more than 200, we can always go to a 2U or 3U CubeSat.
What I'd really like to do, however, if we can get enough sponsors, is to make a custom ASIC. If we can make custom silicon, we can get the size and the price way down. This may not be realistic this time around, but it is something I really want to pursue if I can get the money.
As far as power, the Sprites are around 10 mW, and yes, they need solar power, so they won't operate through eclipse. They do, however have a bank of capacitors to buffer the power coming out of the solar cells, so tumbling won't be a problem.
Thanks, Zac