Outer space offers endless opportunities to explore, be inspired, and improve the human experience. Before long, space-faring machines, called spacecraft, could bring internet to the whole world, 3D-print replacement hearts in microgravity, and carry humans to Mars! The Spacecraft Club is your chance to join the action as a spacecraft engineer! Sign up for the Spacecraft Competition or volunteer with a Spacecraft Challenge team today!
The kickoff is September 12 at 6pm in room 377 in the Clyde Building. Email spacecraft@byu.edu if you want to get involved, but can't attend the kickoff.
Spacecraft Competition
Build a tiny spacecraft for a chance to win $200!
No experience required. Get mentored by students who've honed their spacecraft-building skills. After three months, your spacecraft will be launched a thousand feet on a rocket! Winning spacecraft will record what it sees during flight and broadcast it to ground in real time. The top three teams will earn a cash prize! First place wins $200, second wins $100, and third $50! It's your time to become a space engineer. Find a teammate and learn more. Registration for 2019 is open.
Complete the Spacecraft Challenge and you're ready to take on greater challenges, including creating hardware for flight in outer space!
No experience required. Get mentored by students who've honed their spacecraft-building skills. After three months, your spacecraft will be launched a thousand feet on a rocket! Winning spacecraft will record what it sees during flight and broadcast it to ground in real time. The top three teams will earn a cash prize! First place wins $200, second wins $100, and third $50! It's your time to become a space engineer. Find a teammate and learn more. Registration for 2019 is open.
Complete the Spacecraft Challenge and you're ready to take on greater challenges, including creating hardware for flight in outer space!
Spacecraft Technology Grants
Level up your spacecraft skills and become a specialist in the space technology of your choice! Your team of 3-5 gets mentoring and funding to design, build, and test one of the technologies BYU needs for future spaceflight missions. Challenge examples include:
Learn more here.
Completion of the Spacecraft Competition prior to Spacecraft Challenges is encouraged.
- Create a ground station and get a license to talk to satellites in space!
- Design a spacecraft navigation system and test it on an air bearing!
- Build a structure to withstand rocket vibration and test it on a vibration table!
Learn more here.
Completion of the Spacecraft Competition prior to Spacecraft Challenges is encouraged.
Spacecraft Team
The BYU Spacecraft Team designs, builds, tests, launches, and operates satellites in outer space! Unless you have skills we urgently need, complete at least one Spacecraft Challenge before applying to the Spacecraft Team. The BYU Spacecraft Team is currently building its first spacecraft: two Passive Inspection CubeSats that are manifest for launch in 2018.
Spacecraft Research
After honing your skills in the spacecraft club, you can apply for paid opportunities to research advanced spacecraft technologies as an undergraduate research assistant or graduate researcher in the Spacecraft Research Lab.
Image credits for competition icons (top to bottom): KickSat (used with permission), NASA, NASA, NASA.