Science & Tech · Space · 6 hrs ago
Voice command from Oslo makes PRETTY satellite play Doom
Radio amateurs in Norway sent a voice command from Oslo to the PRETTY cubesat, a satellite run by a consortium that includes the European Space Agency.
On July 27, the satellite recognized the words “PRETTY play Doom Doom Doom” and opened the 1993 video game.
The demonstration followed six failed attempts and 59 days of work to fix a receiver channel that was too wide to capture the voice signal.
PRETTY transcribed the command on board using speech-recognition software, then sent back a recording, signal data and a frame of gameplay.
The team says voice recognition could help people call for rescue from remote areas by radio, with a satellite relaying alerts to emergency services.
The experiment also points to possible future uses of satellites to analyze radio signals and send operators the most relevant information.
Radio amateurs in Oslo used a voice command to make the PRETTY satellite start the video game Doom.
The command was received and transcribed by voice-recognition software aboard the satellite.
The successful demonstration took place on July 27, 2026, after six unsuccessful attempts.
The experiment tested a potential way for satellites to respond to spoken messages, including possible distress calls.
- Who
- The Oslo Group of the Norwegian Radio Relay League sent the command; Jon Bergli Heier spoke it.
- What
- A voice command made the PRETTY satellite open and play Doom.
- When
- July 27, 2026.
- Where
- The command was spoken from a rooftop in Oslo and received by the satellite.
- Why
- The experiment demonstrated orbital voice control and explored possible future uses, such as detecting distress calls.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Radio amateurs made six unsuccessful attempts to contact PRETTY during passes over Poland and Norway.
A retransmitted recording showed that the spoken words had not been recognized.
Jon Bergli Heier sent the successful voice command from a rooftop in Oslo, and PRETTY transcribed it and opened Doom.
- Satellite
- PRETTY
- Command date
- July 27, 2026
- Command location
- Rooftop in Oslo, Norway
- Attempts before success
- Six unsuccessful attempts
- Time spent on the effort
- 59 days
- Cost
- About 7,200 NOK, or $775, including pizza
What people are saying
We are radio amateurs, with the emphasis on amateurs. Satellite work was not something our club did, and we had no budget for it,
I have never tried that before, so I should definitely be able to do that.