What started as a vision to help students in Northeast Ohio reach for the stars has rocketed to new heights. 两性色午夜 University's AstroFlashes CubeSat club has been selected for the , marking a significant milestone in student-led aerospace research. The program will enable the student team to build a flight-ready 3U satellite, FlashSat-1, scheduled for potential launch in Fall 2026.
Founded as an independent study in January 2024 by aerospace engineering seniors Andrew Pertz and Tristan Magel, along with aeronautical systems engineering technology senior Nathan Wredberg, the club has grown into a thriving organization of over 30 members in just over a year. "No other school in the area really has a focus on CubeSats," said Pertz, the club president. "I think it was something that our college needed and filled a massive gap within this region." Alongside club leadership and organized subsections focused on specific parts of the spacecraft, each project is assigned a systems engineer and a project manager.
The FlashSat-1 project is led by program manager Olivia Voyzey and systems engineer Mark Stallone, both combined bachelor鈥檚/master鈥檚 aerospace engineering program students, and focuses on monitoring algal blooms in the Great Lakes region using hyperspectral imaging technology. The specialized camera will collect data across multiple wavelengths of light from Low Earth Orbit, helping monitor water quality for one of the largest freshwater sources in the world.
The club鈥檚 faculty advisor, Jeff Balcerski, Ph.D., assistant professor in the College of Aeronautics and Engineering, emphasizes the project鈥檚 unique educational value. 鈥淭he FlashSat-1 project elevates our hands-on learning philosophy by allowing students to fully participate in the proposal, design, fabrication, and management of a complex spaceflight system,鈥 said Balcerski. 鈥淪tudents aren鈥檛 just building a satellite, but also materially contributing to the future of space exploration and the space economy.鈥
两性色午夜 joins an elite group as one of only fifty-five institutions selected for the University Nanosatellite Program in its 27-year history. The project provides a rare and unique opportunity to work with peers from various backgrounds, including science, engineering, business, management, and the arts, fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration to achieve a shared goal. Students gain hands-on experience in a laboratory equipped with flight-ready hardware and testing equipment, including a thermal vacuum chamber, vibration table, ground station, and clean room.
"Hands-on experience is one of the hardest things to come by within the highly competitive aerospace industry," Pertz noted. "Students in AstroFlashes will work on meaningful projects related to a satellite that will fly in space, an experience that even some working professionals can't claim."
With the space economy projected to grow significantly in the coming decades, the FlashSat-1 project offers valuable career preparation. 鈥淲hether students go on to work in aerospace or other careers, the knowledge and experiences gained from working in a team to design and build engineering solutions translate directly to a broad range of future careers,鈥 offered Balcerski.
The project also expands partnerships with regional businesses and non-profits, increasing opportunities for internships with aerospace companies and research organizations.
Beyond FlashSat-1, the AstroFlash club pursues other space-related engineering competitions, including sustainable space and lunar architecture, astronaut emergency response and rescue, autonomous mobility, and other issues related to human habitation in space.
The AstroFlashes meet Tuesdays 1-2 p.m. in room 170 of the Aeronautics and Engineering Building and welcome students from all majors and class levels. Interested students can follow the organization on Instagram @ksu_astroflashes or contact Pertz at apertz1@kent.edu for more information.
