Since their debut in August 2002, Atlas V vehicles have achieved 100 percent mission success in launches from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Space Launch Complex-3E at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
This is when you realize the STEM programs really do reap positive results. ULA conducted a competition in which four universities were chosen that are to receive free CubeSat launch slots on future Atlas V mission as part of the rideshare program. Today the announcement came with the name of these four universities.
Dubbed CubeCorp, the program encourages hands-on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) experience to motivate, educate and develop the next generation of rocket scientists and space entrepreneurs.
Tory Bruno, ULA CEO and president said, “ULA is passionate about educating and developing future leaders in the space industry. We’ve established a very low-cost approach to CubeSat design and launch to accommodate our commitment to STEM and innovative commercial CubeSat entrepreneurs.”
This year’s first place winner of the CubeSat STEM education program was the University of Texas at El Paso, with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette coming in second. Other winners are: Purdue University and University of Michigan.
A team of reviewers from across ULA and Tyvak, ULA’s primary auxiliary payload integrator, thoroughly evaluated each proposal. Selection criteria included mission objective, educational outreach and ability to meet technical requirements. Launch date coordination will begin in the next few weeks.
Additionally, ULA offered universities around the nation the opportunity to help name the CubeSat STEM education program. Austin Braun, a student at the University of Colorado Boulder, submitted CubeCorp as the winning name.
Bruno said, “Congratulations to all of our winners. You are the next generation of rocket scientists and space entrepreneurs and we could not be more pleased to offer this unique opportunity.”
With more than a century of combined heritage, United Launch Alliance has successfully delivered well over 100 conventional satellites and 55 CubeSats to orbit that provide critical capabilities for troops in the field, aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, enable personal device-based GPS navigation and unlock the mysteries of our solar system.