As a former teacher, I know there’s only so much that students can learn inside a classroom. Other learning has to be self directed but requires the ability to persist and that’s exactly what SilverSat’s student cube satellite launch has provided nearly 60 students over the past 9 years.
SilverSat Student Cube Satellite Launch
Last Sunday, SilverSat’s student cube satellite (CubeSat) launched into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida aboard Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus XL spacecraft. The student CubeSat launch shows persistence pays off! As a founding member and current SilverSat Board member, I’m thrilled that building a cube satellite and sending it into space has provided hands-on project-based learning for so many. Our goal with SilverSat was always to provide area kids with an opportunity to learn something outside what they learn inside a classroom.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket takes off from Cape Canaveral on Sunday, as seen on NASA’s livestream.
“I’m so happy that we’ve gotten this far and been able to send something into space,” said Aubrey Forsgren, a high school sophomore who is one of the team members.
History of SilverSat, the Student Cube Satellite Project
SilverSat’s team of student engineers started out as a small group of middle and high schoolers in 2017. Many of them, their parents and advisers were on hand at two watch parties in Silver Spring, Maryland and Cape Canaveral to witness the launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Some of the original students have now graduated from college in the eight years since they started the project; some watched from college dormitories while new generations have steadily signed on.
The students have packed the 10 x 10 x 10 cm (about 4 x 4 x 4 inch) satellite with a camera, a radio transceiver, a computer, solar panels, electronics, antenna, guidance systems and other equipment needed for its mission to tweet from orbit.
The CubeSat, 10 cm by 10 cm by 10 cm, contains everything it needs to power itself, receive commands, navigate, take pictures and transmit them back to Earth from orbit.
Student cube satellite members have tested and re-tested the satellite to make sure it works and can withstand the rigors of space. They have learned how to operate a radio transceiver, earned amateur radio licenses and demonstrated their expertise to NASA’s strict standards. They persevered through a pandemic, eight high school graduations and federal government red tape.
The student cube satellite was accepted into NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative in 2021, Dave Copeland, a Silver Spring engineer started the SilverSat group. He never thought it would take so long when he started. “I thought it would launch by 2019,” Copeland said.
But Sunday’s launch went off without a hitch.
“So proud of these student engineers and can’t wait to see the satellite’s first picture,” said Jane Meier, whose son Noah, an eighth grader, is one of the team members.
SilverSat founder and organizer Dave Copeland inspects the partly assembled CubeSat with student team members Nicholas Niski, Matthew Kay, Anthony Salvado and Matthew Salvado in 2024.
Anyone can visit the Operations tab on SilverSat’s website to request a photo. If it’s feasible, when the little satellite is orbiting over the right spot in the Northern Hemisphere, it can take a picture of that spot and then send it out over X (formerly Twitter) from its account @silversatorg for anyone to see.
“I’m so immensely proud of this group. They are now members of the spacefaring community,” said Copeland.
Student Cube Satellite Now Aboard the ISS
NASA Selects SilverSat to Fly Aboard CubeSat Launch Initiative
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) used its robotic arm to capture the Cygnus spacecraft and its cargo, including the SilverSat student cube satellite, on Thursday. Canada’s robotic arm was operated by NASA astronaut Johnny Kim. Fellow NASA astronaut, Zena Cardman, helped capture the Cygnus XL spacecraft carrying SilverSat and 11,000 pounds of cargo.
“All this work I’ve been doing for five years. It’s a satellite. It’s in space. It’s kind of crazy,” said 11th-grader Nicholas Niski.
But the work on the student cube satellite doesn’t end with a successful launch, says Copeland. SilverSat’s CubeSat is scheduled to be released into orbit on November 17 where it will begin its mission to tweet pictures to order from space. Each request must be handled by a student. Students will have to find the latitude and longitude of each spot and figure out if the satellite can achieve the right camera angle.
Want to order the student Cube Satellite to take a picture from space?
Request a photo through the SilverSat Operations Page
Visit the SilverSat website at https://silversat.org/operations/. To see the images from orbit, follow SilverSat on X at @SilverSatorg.
SilverSat also is on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and is featured on YouTuber Jeff Geerling’s video: Pis in Space.
I am a proud that my kids were founding members of SilverSat. I’ve served on the Board since the idea was conceived. I’m excited for launch and so very proud of our many members who have been a part of SilverSat over the years. No compensation was received for this post.
