Geared specifically for Master's Degree students, participation emphasizes systems engineering practices and prepares potential advanced engineering and doctoral candidates for the laboratory's more involved engineering and research activities. Designs are technically comprehensive, challenging, and interesting. Preliminary payload studies include component qualification, environmental monitoring, spacecraft technology, and satellite autonomy experiments. Simplicity permits success in the allotted time and allows students to gain technical insight into the entire design and operation of the satellite.
Speed allows the student to witness the entire life cycle of the satellite design process.
Low-cost design satisfies the practical monetary constraints of the laboratory and provides an attractive platform alternative to potential researchers. Flexibility in the design allows the satellite to interface with a variety of payloads, to be launched on an assortment of launch vehicles, and to operate in a wide range of orbits. It also permits the design to withstand the uncertainties and technical evolution inherent in a student activity. Intelligence compensates for the operational inefficiencies that typically result from the above philosophical considerations. Its payloads include new infrared horizon detectors, a digital camera, a voice synthesizer, and a couple of telemetry and autonomy experiments.