Florida Atlantic: Powerful Partnership

Florida Atlantic University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science is one of eight colleges in the nation selected to work on NASA’s coveted 2024 University Nanosatellite Program – CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) to foster innovation and expertise in the small satellite sector.

A CubeSat is a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites, which are about the size of a 4-inch cube and typically weigh less than 5 pounds. CSLI partnered with the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force for the 2024 Mission Concept Program.

"We are incredibly excited and proud to have been selected to work with NASA and the U.S. military to help revolutionize the space domain with tiny, yet powerful and small satellite technology," said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Florida Atlantic University’s team members include Oscar M. Curet, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Ocean and Mechanical Engineering and a member of Florida Atlantic’s Center of Connected Autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (CA-AI) and George Sklivanitis, Ph.D., Schmidt Research Associate Professor, a fellow of Florida Atlantic’s Institute for Sensing and Embedded Network Systems Engineering (I-SENSE) and a senior member of CA-AI, as well as Vitas Diktanas, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering with a concentration in aerospace; Sky Rueff, an undergraduate student in mechanical engineering; and Jonathan Mazurkiewicz, an undergraduate student in computer engineering.

The program is designed to refine small satellite project proposals to increase students’ chances of sending their technology into space. The partnership aims to prepare students to work in the space industry while simultaneously enhancing small satellite expertise among faculty members at U.S. universities.

"Importantly, this initiative offers participating students invaluable systems engineering training specific to spacecraft development and is part of NASA’s broader strategy to engage and retain students in STEM fields to build a robust pipeline of talent in the aerospace sector," Batalama said.