Students of the New Space Age
AlbertaSat, University of Alberta
At the University of Alberta, a group of students across the faculty of engineering and science formed AlbertaSat. After several years of research and development building a working CubeSat and its associated systems, ExAlta-1 was launched from the International Space Station in 2017, with a mission to observe space weather and its potential effect on space systems.
ExAlta-1 has now been in space for several months, and through an onsite antenna and control room, students are already monitoring and collating the data they're getting from the satellite. Space weather, the study of the conditions around the earth that could have debilitating effect on space systems worldwide, is a relatively unknown field, and the work the AlbertaSat team do will be vital in exploring developing new space science.
The development of ExAlta-1 was only possible through the dedication of these students working across disciplines, as well as the support of professors throughout the two faculties. Together they were able to meet this incredible technical challenge, exhibiting the kind of experiential learning that's at the heart of the University of Alberta education experience.