TJREVERB Cubesat for TJHSST
The Small Satellite Team at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST), working with the Thomas Jefferson Partnership Fund and the US STEM Foundation, is raising funding for TJHSST students to build and launch a satellite. The Small Satellite Team has already written a successful proposal to NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative to launch their CubeSat and been awarded a launch opportunity. TJ REVERB, (Thomas Jefferson Research and Education Vehicle for Evaluating Radio Broadcasts) was designed by TJ students, teachers, and mentors from Ragnarok Industries and Emergent Space Technologies .
Our mission is to educate students in the design and construction process of a working satellite. The project will also lay the foundation for future CubeSats TJ plans to produce in the coming years. With over 80 students currently involved, the team plans to leverage our large numbers in educational outreach for K-12 schools regionally and nationally. Because TJ REVERB is being designed and built by high school students, we are in an excellent position to work with and encourage other K-12 students in STEM and aerospace education.
Our methods of outreach will include workshops, a website, and donated ground stations. Workshops will be held at TJHSST, where students and teachers will build and use a CubeSat emulator or benchtop mock CubeSat for classroom research. We will also build the TJ REVERB website to host educational wikis related to the school’s CubeSat, including its design, construction, and testing. The website will also explain how to connect directly with TJ REVERB and will host the communications data gathered during the mission. The website and data will be free for use by other schools to conduct research. TJHSST will also donate ground stations, which include an antenna, transceiver, and computer, selecting schools in states that need more opportunities to interact with advanced STEM projects before attempting their own CubeSat. The success of this project will help students develop their skills in creating a functional CubeSat, while also fostering their ability to become future contributors and leaders in the STEM workforce. More information on the project can be found at https://activities.tjhsst.edu/cubesat/
An initial 55,000 US Dollars will provide us with the means to purchase our required parts. We are looking to purchase many components from a single vendor so they interface more efficiently. Funding will go towards the purchase of these parts (please note that the costs listed are approximate since the quoted educational pricing isn’t publishable).
S-Band Transmitter and Antenna $14000
SBD modem, antenna, and airtime $12000
Electromagnetic Torquer System (magnetorquer) $8000
Solar Panels $10000
GPS Unit $5000
Interfacing components and testing services $2000
Ground Station components to be donated to other schools $4000
The students have worked hard and have already been able to secure donations for other components such as a flight computer, electrical power system and batteries, structure, and a VHF radio and antenna at a combined value of $15000.
The following companies have already donated components or mentorship time to help us: Ragnarok Industries, Emergent Space Technologies, ExoAnalytic Solutions, Harris Corp., BlueCube Aerospace, and members of the Naval Academy Aerospace Department.
Any extra money raised will go toward the purchasing of new equipment for involved labs at TJ such as a clean tent filtration system, vibration table, thermal vacuum chamber, CNC mill, printed circuit board mill, and a 3D printer with a total value of $100,000. Students will use the equipment while building and testing the CubeSat and hosting the CubeSat Emulator Workshop.
