University Nanosatellite Program: Assessment of Impacts From 25 Years of Education, Discussion of On-Going and Future Efforts

University Nanosatellite Program: Assessment of Impacts From 25 Years of Education, Discussion of On-Going and Future Efforts

Utah State University, Logan, UT

The University Nanosatellite Program (UNP) was founded in 1999 as the first government funded program to mentor university students in the design, integration, and operations of small satellites. This program provides a platform for university programs to develop DoD-relevant small satellite technologies while training the next generation in the principles and practices of systems engineering. UNP has assisted in the development of over 100 missions from over 53 universities across the country and has over 11,000 alumni.

This paper presents several aspects of UNP: a reflection on historical outcomes and impacts, educational impact on UNP participants, its current efforts, and changes to the program to better enable its mission.

First, a brief highlight of the program's funding and programmatic history over the last 25 years is given. Then a discussion of the current efforts: Nanosatellite (a multi-phased competition cycle with six schools currently proceeding towards launch), Mission Concept (maturing a mission concept for universities over a summer), and Technical Insertion (creation of a specific mission for AFRL). This discussion will dive into student and faculty demographics, student outcomes and impacts, and program partnerships. Next, a discussion is included about potential changes to the program to better enable education. These changes may also enable faster mission maturation and guide more schools to the launch pad. Finally, ideas for the continuation of mentoring students in small satellite systems engineering are presented for both engaging with UNP and broader educational opportunities.