As a part of NASA’s cubesat launch initiative, universities from across the country are given the opportunity to design and construct their own cubically-modular satellites that will launch into low earth orbit and deliver student-designed payloads and collect research data. UC Berkeley has its own cubesat team which operates under the larger umbrella of the Space Technologies at Cal student organization. Our quantum cubesat (*appropriately named Qubesat) is a technological demonstration to test and characterize the effects of space conditions on quantum gyroscopes using nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamonds. We unsuccessfully launched with Astra Space’s ELaNa 41 Mission in January 2022.
I have been a part of this project for 2 years and counting, starting as a mechanical team member and progressing to mechanical lead and now transitioning into project co-lead as our current project lead is graduating. If there was one project I could define my undergraduate experience so far with, it would be our Qubesat. From here, feel free to explore the many facets of Qubesat!
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