Today, the U.S. Department of Education launched CTE Mission: CubeSat, a national challenge to build technical skills for careers in space and beyond. The Department invites high schools to bring space missions to students by designing and building CubeSat prototypes — in the classroom or at home.

Space is a frontier for infinite exploration, and as the boundaries of our missions in space continue to expand, so do the opportunities for today’s students to explore a wide range of related careers in space — or their own communities. Designing and building a CubeSat prototype in this multiphase challenge will offer students a firsthand opportunity to learn valuable technical skills that can be applied to careers in space and many other industries.

Get started on your mission proposal

Schools interested in entering CTE Mission: CubeSat should form a team and submit a mission proposal by October 16 — no in-person collaboration or prior experience with CubeSats is required. The online submission form asks for school information, a team profile, a project proposal, and anticipated learning outcomes. Curated educational resources are available to students and teachers in the resource hub.

Ask your questions: Attend our September 1 virtual information session

To learn more about entering CTE Mission: CubeSat, join our virtual information session on September 1. U.S. Department of Education Program Specialist Albert Palacios will discuss how working with CubeSat prototypes is an accessible way for students to explore new skills and many future careers. The challenge team will also give an in-depth overview of the challenge and answer questions during a live Q&A. 

Register today. Attendees are encouraged to come with their questions or submit them in advance to hello@ctemissioncubesat.com.

What comes next: Mission build and launch

Up to five finalists will be selected to receive prizes and 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. The Department understands that due to current conditions, schools will need flexibility to safely collaborate when designing and building prototypes during the challenge. The Department looks forward to the creative solutions in the mission proposals it receives as challenge entries.

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 Space Exploration Initiative, and XinaBox.

Subscribe to the CTE Mission: CubeSat newsletter to receive all future challenge updates.