CubeSat Creators

Edinburgh Science Foundation (ESF) creates interactive and immersive experiences to engage people in science and technology so that participants better understand their value and role they play in their lives and the opportunities they present. This project focuses on an activity about mini satellites that conduct space research.

We want to redevelop our CubeSat Creators activity with expert input from STFC for delivery at two Edinburgh Science events - Edinburgh Science Festival and Careers Hive - to inspire around 2,500 children (age 8-13) with the incredible astronomy technology being created and used in Scotland, and the broad career opportunities on their doorstep.

We want to work with STFC to achieve high-quality public engagement in CubeSat technology, an area of active work at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UK ATC) in Edinburgh. There will be opportunities for UK ATC staff to engage directly with the public and to promote awareness of their work. The workshop will be available for years to come so it can benefit children beyond the project timeframe.

CubeSats are an excellent example of space becoming more accessible; with the UK ATC nearby and new space start-ups appearing, there are more opportunities than ever to follow a career working in the space industry. These new opportunities are not limited to one topic or skill set but a great chance for a range of people to come into the space industry at every level.

Without redevelopment and funding to deliver, we will not be able to include this activity in our events.