MERRITT ISLAND, Fla. — A group of Brevard County high schoolers are eagerly awaiting the next Space Coast rocket launch.
- Merritt Island students to send "CubeSat" into space on Falcon Heavy
- Goal is to test how it withstands the rigors of spaceflight
- Get more space coverage
Why? When the next Space X Falcon Heavy soars to space June 22, so too will be their NASA-mentored high school project.
The tiny CubeSat was designed, built, and tested by the StangSat club at Merritt Island High School. StangSat, is short for Mustangs, the school mascot.
The group of students are partnering with Cal/Poly in California.
“(The) whole point of our satellite is to measure shock and vibration data," said Isabella Piasecki, who just graduated from Merritt Island High. "Which needs to be measured as the rocket is going up."
Using Wi-Fi, the satellite will collect that data, then later transfer it to the ground.
The goal is to test how the CubeSat withstands the rigors of spaceflight.
"I get goosebumps listening to them talk, explain the satellite, talk about their experiences," said Tracey Beatovich, who worked on satellites in the Air Force and is thrilled how far the students have come.
"They know more than me as an Air Force officer," she told Spectrum News. "It's just so inspiring."
The project began nine years ago through the NASA CubeSat Initiative.
Some 70 students have worked on StangSat over the years.
"Seeing the program through to the end is really neat," Piasecki said.
The project is quite an achievement for kids who haven't reached college yet.
The students will have a special viewing area to watch the Falcon Heavy launch. Right now, it's set for June 22 from 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. from the Kennedy Space Center.