WLTZ 38 | Columbus Georgia Regional News & CommunityAuburn University to Launch Student-Built Satellite into Space

By: Christina Chambers

More than 30 students have worked on Auburn's first student-built satellite. Professor JM Wersinger said the Aubie-Sat program is part of Auburn's student space program. "This is Aubie-Sat one. It's the first satellite out of a series that we are going to build and put into space. We're putting Auburn on the map," Wersinger said.

The cube-satellite is a small box about four inches wide. The students will measure the decrease of solar cell efficiency over time on protected and non-protected solar panels.

 Once the satellite is in space, two antennas will come out-one for receiving signals from Auburn and one for sending signals. The students have built a control center on campus, which they will give the satellite commands to execute, and then the satellite will send data back to the students such as temperature, battery charge and voltage, and power from the solar cells. "The satellite is going to mostly test a film from the solar cells to protect them from the harsh environment of space," said Wersinger.

 Auburn is the first university in the state of Alabama to send a satellite into space. "This is a great opportunity for Auburn and it's kind of surprising that Huntsville has never done anything like this ," said student Kyle Owen.

 The satellite will go into space on a NASA rocket on October 25^th.  The satellite communicates in Morse Code. "War Eagle" will be the signal that the satellite is up and running smoothly. 

The satellite will be launched in California.