Past Missions

The HuskySat-1 (HS-1) is a 3U CubeSat designed, built, and tested by the Husky Satellite Lab. HS-1's goal was to test two experimental payloads, a pulsed plasma thruster (PPT), and a high-frequency K-band communication system, as well as hosting an Amateur Radio Linear Transponder.

HS-1 was developed by an interdisciplinary team at the University of Washington. It was aboard NASA's Cygnus NG-12 when it launched on November 2, 2019, and was deployed into Low Earth Orbit on January 31, 2020 to become the first amateur, student-built satellite from Washington state.

This CubeSat demonstrated the capabilities of new technologies being developed at the University of Washington and expanded the capabilities of CubeSats as a whole. In particular, the PPT and high-gain communications system formed the core technology suite on board the satellite. The HS-1 also flew a newly developed amateur radio linear transponder developed by AMSAT, aimed at contributing to the worldwide communication networks built and operated by ham radio enthusiasts.

While satellite launches are the ultimate goal of HSL, sometimes results are needed in a more immediate (or at least more cost-effective) method. To accomplish this, we created our first Platform for High Altitude Testing (PHAT-1) in the 2018-19 school year. This allowed the team to improve on and experiment with the technology used in the HuskySat-1 mission, as well as try out new techniques for future missions.

The PHAT-1 mission consisted of two parts: a system bus, containing mission hardware, and a payload section, both of which hung below a high altitude balloon. The balloon was then launched to ~90,000 feet. Components on the bus included main power, data logging, and controls, as well as a GPS, magnetometer, and altimeter. The payload section consisted of a camera, pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) and deployable langmuir probe.

Unfortunately, not long after reaching its operational altitude, contact with the PHAT-1 was lost. Flight trajectory puts the landing point in the middle of a reservoir near the launch site, so the onboard data was never recovered.

Still, the mission provided useful insight for future missions. The development of the PPT led to a new ignitor/charge board design that is more compact than that used in HuskySat-1's PPT. The mission opened up new ideas for computational software, and the lack of recovery reinforced the need for effective and efficient radio transmission.

The Platform for High Altitude Testing 3 (PHAT-3) launched in May 2026 and successfully completed its flight, continuing our commitment to high-altitude balloon testing for validating systems in near-space conditions before orbital deployment. This mission serves as a critical testing platform for technologies destined for HuskySat-2 and HuskySat-3.

PHAT-3 missions provide an affordable and accessible way to test spacecraft subsystems at altitudes reaching approximately 90,000 feet, where conditions closely approximate the space environment. These flights allow us to validate propulsion systems, communication equipment, attitude determination sensors, and other critical spacecraft components.

The program builds upon lessons learned from PHAT-1, incorporating improved recovery systems, enhanced telemetry, and more robust data collection capabilities. Each PHAT-3 mission was designed to test specific subsystems while providing valuable flight experience for our engineering teams.

PHAT-3 missions were conducted in collaboration with the HuskySat-2 Division and Propulsion R&D Division, ensuring that balloon-tested technologies are directly applicable to our orbital missions.

Mission CHNOOK was our successful multi-payload sub-orbital package that flew with Blue Origin on a New Shepard flight. This mission represented a revival and reimagining of our previous Mini-Mee payload, focused on community outreach, biological experiments, and technology demonstrations.

The mission featured four crowd-sourced payloads integrated into a single package: Business Payloads for HSL outreach (including a UW mini husky mascot, student artwork on SD card, and public name submissions), Biology Payloads testing DNA origami structures under launch and microgravity conditions, and HS-2 Demonstration Payloads validating designs for our upcoming HS-2 LEO mission and HS-3 lunar mission.

This mission provided valuable flight heritage for our systems while creating meaningful connections with the UW campus, Seattle community, and Washington K-12 schools. We partnered with Mighty Crayon, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, to include artwork from underserved communities worldwide.