Overview
Founded in 2023 as CA2RC (Carleton Aerospace Astrophysics Radio Club) and rebranded in 2025, the CUonOrbit team is a dynamic, student-led organization at Carleton University dedicated to designing, manufacturing, and launching a CubeSat. With over 50 active members from various disciplines and faculties, our team primarily includes undergraduates in Aerospace Engineering and Physics—supported by graduate advisors with extensive spacecraft design experience.
CUonOrbit is Carleton University’s student satellite design team, dedicated to preparing students for careers in Canada’s space industry through hands-on, real-world projects. Our flagship initiative is competing in the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge (CSDC), where we are building a 3U CubeSat for launch. Beyond satellite design, CUonOrbit also launches weather balloons, conducts youth STEM outreach, and attends industry conferences to connect with professionals and inspire the next generation. Our mission is to advance aerospace innovation and education by providing students with practical experience and industry connections.
Many recent conferences and events attended in the last year include: SEDS 2026, WSEDS 2026, Space Canada’s Evening with the Artemis || Astronauts, US Embassy Splashdown Party, CSA Artemis || Launch Party, Space Horizons 2026 and toured the David Florida Labs. We have toured the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) for viewing of their Comms facilities and attending/volunteering at the 2026 Space Bound Conference. Many of the club’s members have also gotten the opportunity to attend the European Space Agency (ESA) training weeks in Belgium in many disciplines including: Hands-On Cube-Sat workshops, Space Systems, Space Law and more.
Our most recent initiative is our application towards the CUBICS program; the CSA’s grant for student-led teams to design,build and launch their own satellite. This project is currently ongoing and we are actively working on preliminary designs and concepts for this competition.
The Background
CUonOrbit aspires to design, manufacture, test, and operate Carleton University’s first CubeSat by providing students with hands-on experience for a space-based project. Additionally, our cause is to promote space-based projects, such as satellites, to a range of students across programs, and through Youth Outreach Initiatives. Students are able to gain experience working with tools used in industry, such as Ansys and Systems Tool Kit (STK), Matlab, and Simulink for space environment and satellite modelling, simulation, and programming. Computer Automated Design experience is provided to students through programs such as Fusion 360. Our team supports student CubeSat research and includes industry networking through conferences and events to further the opportunities students have to advance in the aerospace industry. Developing our CubeSat will promote Carleton University and contribute to supporting students as they make their way into the space industry.
The Rollout
Funds will be conttributed towards improving our bay’s capabilities or to continue improving our payloads for the High Altitude Balloon (HAB) missions. We intend to do 3 HAB missions each academic year with each building off the progress of the previous mission. Eventually we intend to have our HAB capabilities to account for whatever we deem necessary with all the base systems (camera, gps, communications, thermal, ect.) fully functioning. This can lead to working with other project initiatives since we would then have a determined system to carry any projects payload.
We are also actively applying to the Canadian Space Agency’s CubeSats in Canada for STEM (CUBICS) program to receive a grant to fund Carleton’s first Cube-sat. We are currently working on improving our lab space to increase our capabilities to carry out the lab space and to hopefully work on improving the ground station at Carleton to suit the mission’s needs. Furthermore, funding will be used to purchase CubeSat components to be able to manufacture our 3U model once the design and development phases are completed. Many of these components require specific ratings and testing to protect agaunst radiation, leading to additional costs.
The Impact
CUonOrbit’s mission is to foster innovation and collaboration, by preparing the next generation of Canadian space industry professionals with an enhanced amount of space technology knowledge. Through student outreach, CUonOrbit aspires to inspire high school students to pursue careers in the space industry by demonstrating what is possible and projects that can completed even while in university. Our outreach is meant to encourage students to begin considering projects they could start or research to begin their aerospace journey.
Other Comments
CUonOrbit requires external funding to continue to create, grow, learn, inspire, and educate as our team continues to develop and test Carleton University’s first CubeSat.