Satellite Mission Architect
Satellite Mission Architect: Design a CubeSat System for an Aerospace Startup. A 4–8 weeks Intravarsity career experience (30–50 hours) for school and undergr
You'll collaborate remotely with an aerospace startup connected to our San Francisco campus Space Systems floor. Your mission: design a complete CubeSat system — from orbital parameters to subsystem engineering. The startup's engineers review your work weekly, and your final Preliminary Design Review (PDR) is evaluated by real space professionals.
Work with a real aerospace startup to design a CubeSat mission — power systems, comms links, orbital mechanics. Your Preliminary Design Review goes to actual space engineers.
Who it is for
High school, secondary school students & undergraduates. Interest in physics and engineering. Algebra II and trigonometry required.
Weekly plan
Week 1: Mission Definition & Orbital Mechanics
- Meet the aerospace startup team and understand their constellation needs
- Define mission objectives, payload requirements, and orbit selection
- Calculate orbital parameters and transfer trajectories in Python
- Study real satellite design documents from the startup's archives
Week 2: Subsystem Engineering
- Design power subsystem — solar panel sizing, battery capacity, power budget
- Plan communication link budget — antenna gain, data rate, ground stations
- Calculate attitude determination and control requirements
- Review with the startup's systems engineer
Week 3: Thermal, Structural & Integration
- Model thermal environments in orbit (eclipse/sunlight cycles)
- Design structural components for launch vibration loads
- Create a complete system block diagram with subsystem interfaces
- Simulate mission scenarios and resolve integration conflicts
Week 4: PDR & Presentation
- Prepare a professional Preliminary Design Review document
- Present your satellite design to aerospace engineers and startup founders
- Defend design decisions in a professional Q&A session
- Receive Proof-of-Work credential and aerospace recommendation
What you produce
- Complete CubeSat system design document
- Mission simulation results
- PDR presentation
- Aerospace startup recommendation
- Intravarsity Proof-of-Work credential
Skills
Orbital Mechanics, Systems Engineering, Python/MATLAB, Thermal Analysis, Power Systems, Communication Systems, Technical Writing, Engineering Design
Commitment
~5–8 hours/week for 4–8 weeks (30–50 hours total). 100% Virtual — work remotely with a Silicon Valley aerospace startup.