Building CubeSats is no easy feat, so the Husky
Satellite Lab is always looking to expand our team.
We seek freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and
graduate students of all backgrounds and levels of experience.
We look for people who are dedicated, willing to learn,
and passionate about space and space technology.
For more information, check out our flyer.
Although we're currently accepting applications,
it may take us a few weeks to reply
since we're nearing the end of the academic year.
This also means we won't be able to provide new
members with full onboarding support at this time.
Questions? Contact cubesat@uw.edu.
The application form is only available when signed in to a UW Google account. If you still have a problem, try these steps:
The Husky Satellite Lab would not be able to do the work
it does without our sponsors. The Husky Satellite Lab has
received hardware, software, and financial sponsorships
from companies in the aerospace and engineering industries.
We are 100% student run, and in an effort to stay as
independent as possible, we are always looking for funding
from outside sources.
Building a satellite is a highly interdisciplinary undertaking.
There are two main types of work:
You do not need to be familiar with all of the topics listed! Instead, consider it a guide for the kinds of work and projects that would best fit you based on your interest in learning those topics. Previous experience is a bonus.
For example, if you are interested in controls engineering and have taken courses on circuits and differential equations, you might enjoy the software and electrical work on Reaction Wheels & Magnetorquers.
Some topics are relevant to engineering work on all satellite systems, while some systems encounter specialized topics.
The following topics are relevant to all systems:
The following sections have brief descriptions of what each system does, and what additional, specialized topics are encountered within each system.
Determines the orientation and position of the satellite by taking and processing photos of Earth and the stars.
Point the satellite at targets using reaction wheels (spinning flywheels) and magnetorquers (electromagnets).
Changes the orbit of the satellite using a rocket engine.
Send and receive data and commands using a radio that's connected to an antenna on the satellite.
The central computer that manages data and commands for all other systems on the satellite.
Generate power for the satellite through deployable solar panels.
Store power generated by the solar panels in battery banks and provide stable power to other systems.
Hold all other systems in place while prioritizing manufacturability and ease of maintenance, as well as mechanical work for primarily non-mechanical systems (communications, command & data handling, etc.)
A ground-based interface for controlling the satellite and receiving data from it when it is in space.
Successfully getting a satellite to space takes more than good engineering.
It also takes good business administration: feedback, proposals, finance, and outreach are all critical to an enjoyable and productive team culture. Thus, you don't need to be an engineer or scientist to make a big impact at HSL! Of course, folks working on business are always welcome to explore technical work, and vice versa.
A key part of the mission's success is running regular reviews of our mission with external reviewers to find potential issues and solutions to them early on. That includes a Merit Review (ensuring our mission has a good scientific and/or technological value) as well as a Feasibility Review (can we pull it off?).
In order to obtain funding and a launch slot to get to space, we submit mission proposals to NASA & other organizations describing our mission's vision, the value of the mission, and our plan for executing it.
Solid financial organization is necessary for the success of the HSL. We are funded through a combination of grants and sponsorships, and we need to carefully account for and communicate our use of resources throughout the mission.
It would be fantastic if more of the world knew about the cool work we do! Whether it's communicating with people who are already interested in the HSL or finding people who are not yet aware of our team, outreach is important.
Contact us at cubesat@uw.edu ⟶