BREAKING NEWS!!!
TJ3Sat is currently manifested for launch through NASA's Cubesat Launch Initiative and will be hitching a ride on CRS-2!
In The News!
About
TJ3Sat (pronounced TJ CubeSat) is scheduled to be the first satellite to be flown and built by high school students. The satellite is a product of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology’s Systems Engineering class. During this three year long endeavor approximately 30 high school students ranging from sophomores to seniors will have contributed. The project is broken down into individual subsystems that are assigned to groups of students. Each subsystem is assigned an industry representative that acts as a mentor to the students. In the end TJ3Sat will act as an educational resource for K-12 education worldwide.
The hardware components TJ3Sat have been made available through funding and donations from Orbital Sciences Corporation and Stensat LLC. Orbital has provided the basis for our satellite through the use of the CubeSat Kit from Pumpkin, Inc and through countless hours of one-on-one discussions with their engineers. Stensat LLC has been an invaluable resource in the design and construction of our radio and power handling hardware. The power handing hardware are the only non-COTS pieces of hardware and are unique to our project. Engineers from Stensat LLC have assisted with the schematic design and layout of the circuit boards and have given the students valuable experience into the design of the satellite.
Currently, TJ3Sat is in it's final stages. By July 1, 2011, TJ3Sat will begin both software and hardware testing at facilities provided by Orbital Sciences Corp. These tests will determine the satellite’s structural integrity and verify that TJ3Sat is acceptable for launch and space conditions. Our teacher Mr. Kemp and our industry partners have been integral in reaching these milestones and have been working hand in hand with us throughout the process.
