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Cubes NASA Launch

Cubes in Space™ (CIS)

CUBES IN SPACE - Applications for 2025 year will be accepted after the orientation sessions in November. Please feel free to inquire with Bob if you are interested.

A specialized activity of NE SciTech's Space Science Club, specifically for students ages 11-17 who are members of NEST, we join a program by iEDU called Cubes in Space™ (CIS) to teach students about the atmosphere, rocketry, high-altitude balloons, general laws of physics, radio communications, satellites, and space science. Students work in teams to design and propose experiments that might be accepted to launch into a near space environment on a NASA sounding rocket or zero-pressure scientific balloon. Students then submit their proposals, and if accepted, fabricate and fly their projects in June. After the flight they will evaluate their projects and give a report at a conference in Marlborough in August. Students will be expected to achieve an FCC Amateur Radio License (beginner level) during this program.

Space in this program is usually limited to 10 students. Students will be expected to work with others in teams.  You must attend one of the info sessions in order to sign up for this workshop. See schedule below.
CIS 2023 Team at Wallops AFB

Photo: The 2023 Cubes-in-Space Team at the RocketFest science fair at Wallops AFB in Virginia. Their experiment flew on a NASA sounding rocket. The team's medical experiment was developed in collaboration with the University of Louisville. The Team presented their project at the New England HamXposition in Marlborough.

Students attend regular educational workshops and team meetings in the winter and spring terms. Regular meetings are usually most weekends from November through May. For teams with projects that have been selected to fly, there will be additional prep and build meetings in May and June. The rocket flies in mid-June. The hi-alt balloon flies over the summer, usually in late August. We will schedule additional meetings in the fall for students to examine their flown projects when recovered from NASA.

 

This program is free for student members* of New England Sci-Tech, with a small lab fee** to cover materials and general supplies. Before taking the class students should have had experience in physics, electronics, or arduinos, or be currently enrolled in an amateur radio course during the program. Space is limited. Please inquire or attend the orientation before signing up.

 

"Cubes in Space™, a program by EDU inc., is the only global competition offered at no cost for students 11-18 years of age to design and propose experiments to launch into space on a NASA sounding rocket and zero-pressure scientific balloon."

 

"Cubes in Space is offered in collaboration with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center - Wallops Flight Facility, NASA's Langley Research Center and the Science Systems and Applications Inc."
Cubes in Space Team

Photo: The 2023 Cubes Team gathered for a photo with their new souvenir T-shirts. Both the team logo and the 2023 Cubes-in-Space logo were designed by Abriana (4th from left), who won the national competition for best design. Her design flew on a NASA rocket last summer along with the team's medical experiment developed in collaboration with the University of Louisville. The Team presented their project to NASA administrators at Wallops AFB in June and to the public at the New England HamXposition in August.

2025 INFO-SESSIONS

Get to know us, hear a CIS preliminary overview, and tour the NEST facilities. 

Attend one of these open house times (allow about 30 minutes):

2024 Saturday, Oct 26, 10:00 AM, sign up here

2024 Saturday, Nov 2, 10:00 AM, sign up here

2024 Saturday, Nov 9, 10:00 AM, sign up here
2024 Saturday, Nov 16, 10:00 AM, sign up here


2025 SATURDAY MEETINGS, 9:00-10:30 am.  Lab time 10:30-11:00 am.

Dec 7 – Meeting 1, Intro to NASA rocket and balloon flights.
Dec 14 – Meeting 2, Layers of the Atmosphere; Dependent/Independent Variables.
Dec 21 – Meeting 3, Radiation, Temperature, Pressure; Choosing a project.
Dec 28 – Optional Meeting, work on amateur radio license practice.
Jan 4 – Meeting 4, Choose SR-9 rocket or balloon; Writing the Intent to Fly Document.
Jan 11 – Meeting 5, Ozone Layer, Ionosphere; Preparing the IFF.
Jan 18 – Optional Meeting, work on IFF or begin main proposal.
Jan 25 – Meeting 6, Rocket propulsion, Newton's Laws, Atmospheric Buoyancy.
Feb 1 – Meeting 7, Electromagnetic Spectrum, affect of atmosphere on energy wavelengths.
Feb 8 – Meeting 8, Effect of ionosphere on radio propagation. [CIS Intent to Fly opens]
Feb 15 – Optional Meeting, begin App. for Spaceflight (AFS).
Feb 22 – Optional Meeting, begin App. for Spaceflight (AFS). [CIS Intent to Fly deadline]
Mar 1 – Meeting 9, Begin App. for Spaceflight (AFS); Mission Patch Design opens Mar 13.
Mar 8 – Meeting 10, Earth's Magnetosphere, Auroras, Radiation; Geomagnetic storms.
Mar 15 – Meeting 11, Work on application. [CIS Mission Patch Contest opens]
Mar 22 – Meeting 12, Final work on application. [CIS Application for Spaceflight opens]
Mar 29 – Meeting 13, Work on radio license exam practice
Apr 5 – Meeting 14, Work on radio license exam practice. [CIS Application for Spaceflight deadline]
Apr 12 – Meeting 15, Work on radio license exam practice

Apr 19 – Optional, (Spring Break) Work on revisions to AFS; work on Mission Patch.
Apr 26 – Optional, (Spring Break) Revisions to AFS.  [CIS Mission Patch deadline]
May 3 – Meeting 16, [CIS Spaceflight Selection Notifications]

May 10 – Meeting 17, Cube project building continues. [CIS Mission Patch Winners announced]
May 17 – Meeting 18, Radio License Exam today. Cube project building continues.
May 24 – Optional, (Holiday weekend) Final cube assembly.
May 31 – Meeting 19, Prep RocketFest science fair display. [CIS SR-10 Rocket Cubes shipped ]
Jun 7 – Meeting 20, Prep for RocketFest, for those who plan to go. Prep for HamXposition.

June 14 – Optional, work on amateur radio license and HamX presentations.
June 21 – Optional, work on amateur radio license and HamX presentations.
June 26 (Thu) – SR-9 Rocket Launch from Wallops AF Base in Virginia (tentative).
June 28 – Optional, ARRL Radio Field Day at NEST. Join amateur radio activities all day.
Aug 9 – Optional, work on amateur radio license and HamX presentations.
Aug 16 – Optional, work on amateur radio license and HamX presentations.
Aug 23 – Northeast HamXposition, Youth Day. Presentations for Cubes in Space

Watch the Cubes in Space promotional video. Cubes in Space is offered by EDU inc., in collaboration with NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Wallops Flight Facility, NASA’s Langley Research Center, and Science Systems and Application Inc. (SSAI). (Space Act Agreement Number: SAA1-18977/SAA 18977)

 

Watch New England Sci-Tech's 2022 Cubes in Space video on YouTube.


Out of thousands of entries worldwide, under a hundred get picked to fly. A flight on a NASA rocket or high altitude balloon is not guaranteed. However, our mentors, running this program for the past eight years, have had a 100% success rate for projects accepted for spaceflight each year.


Students who successfully complete the program and successfully fly a project will receive an official certificate and may list their success in personal resumes, school transcripts, and college applications.

20170718_Julie3Cubes_f840.jpg

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

These dates are subject to change based on changes in the rocket flight schedule or project submission deadlines. On alternate and holiday weekend dates when the workshop does not meet, students are welcome to attend other clubs, such as rocketry, robotics, or battlin' bots, or to continue working on projects.

 

Because of traffic conditions and for your convenience, you are welcome to drop off and pick up for up to 30 minutes on each side of class time.

 

If a class cannot meet in person because of severe weather, we may switch to online classes via Zoom.

 

*NOTE: Students must be a current member of New England Sci-Tech as a "Teen" or "Family" membership level. Having a club membership alone (radio or rocketry club) or supporting membership does not qualify a student for general NEST activities and programs like this.  Membership must run from at least December through May for class participation, and membership must continue through June for cubes building and launching.

 

Please be aware of our Cancellation and Refund Policies. For questions, e-mail info@nescitech.org or call 508-720-4179.


In addition to registering for this workshop, please fill out the Workshop Student Permissions Form.