News

GSSM Eagles Excel at the Build-a-CubeSat Challenge

May 27, 2022

Students from the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) CubeSat team were awarded the Innovation Award at the National Society for Black Engineers & Massachusetts Institute of Technology Beaver Works Summer Institute on May 14. Teams from across the country developed small CubeSats to accomplish an ocean science research mission.  CubeSats are miniaturized satellites that are launched in clusters that piggy-back on launches of larger satellites. 

GSSM’s team worked since February to design, build, and create code for a CubeSat too photograph and identify plastics in the ocean. GSSM’s Eagles gave one of the best presentations of the day, impressing the judges with their creative approach to  the challenge, and their final design. GSSM was one of only five teams  to complete the challenge and present their work at the final event. 

This year’s team included juniors Ivan Chen, John Jones, Om Patel and team captains Ava Perkins and Steven Insignares. The team was coached and advised by Mr. Grayson Gibson, Research & Global Initiatives Coordinator, and physics instructor Dr. Antonino Carnevali. 

“I truly enjoyed getting to work with Steven, Ava, Om, Ivan, and John on this project,” said Gibson. “They all brought important and different integral parts to the team. It was great to see them achieve success after coming together and working to complete this challenge during their free time outside of their busy class schedules. I am very proud of their dedication, ingenuity, and hard work. I look forward to seeing what they achieve next!”    

 
The GSSM Eagles CubeSat Team thanks Zverse (a GSSM supporter & mentored research partner) for their assistance with creation of CAD models and use of their Revaly platform for collaborative 3D design,  GSSM IT Director David Matthews, and Mathematics Instructor Taylor Belcher for the Raspberry Pi assistance.