September 15, 2020
The US Department of Education has launched CTE Mission: CubeSat, a national challenge to inspire high school students to build technical skills for careers in space and beyond. Students from across the country are invited to design and build prototypes of CubeSats (cube satellites), or satellites that aid in space research, bringing space missions out of the clouds and into the classroom. Through this multiphase challenge, students will learn creative, collaborative, and technical skills for 21st century careers. Schools interested in entering CTE Mission: CubeSat should form a team and submit a mission proposal (Phase 1). (No in-person collaboration or prior experience with CubeSats is required.) Teams can use a curated collection of virtual resources in the CTE Mission: CubeSat resource hub, as they develop and submit their mission proposals. Up to five finalists will be selected to participate in Phase 2, which runs from January to May 2021. Finalists will have access to expert mentorship and additional virtual resources as they build CubeSat prototypes and plan flight events to launch their prototypes. Each finalist will receive an equal share of the $25,000 cash prize pool, as well as satellite development, hardware, and software kits. Challenge sponsors include Arduino, Blue Origin, Chevron, EnduroSat, LEGO Education, Magnitude.io, MIT Media Lab, and XinaBox.
Deadline: October 16, 2020, at 5:59 p.m. (ET), for proposals