A³ Sat: Using CubeSats to Inspire the Next Generation of STEM Professionals

A ³ Sat, to Acquire-Analyze-Apply Using CubeSats”, was designed, developed, and constructed to both strengthen existing curriculum taught in class and incorporate topics commonly missed. Incorporating a wide variety of fields simply in its construction, domains such as computer science, mechanical engineering, spatial structures, electrical engineering, and material science are embedded within it, allowing students to explore these fields and build vital technical skills. The rapid development of CubeSats over the past two decades (1999-present), from research to significant mission integration, has occurred. The capabilities of CubeSats continue to expand and are being deployed in a wide range of sophisticated scientific and commercial missions, demonstrating that CubeSats have earned a legitimate place in the Aerospace Enterprise. Extending outward from these topics, the nature of satellites and their close intricate ties to big data is what will further thrust the topics learned to a higher, more advanced level. In this model, the collection of data from environmental aspects allows students to further understand such topics as chemical compounds and concentrations, atmospheric phenomena, geographical data sets, imagery, and other physical science topics integral in both foundational and advanced knowledge of the scientific world. As this data is collected, students gain the ability to map, plot, deeply analyze and interpret the data, catalyzing the process of scientific thinking and experimentation. The A3 Sat, not only intelligent in its design, serves as a gateway for students to immerse themselves in STEM fields far out of reach - developing schools and minds alike with the processes and methodologies utilized by the world’s leading scientists, and further establishing a foundation for the next generation to build upon.