NAMPA — On December 4, Northwest Nazarene University is hosting a launch party to celebrate the third satellite NNU and Caldwell High School students engineered, sent into space.
The previous satellite had the goal of testing how durable each type of plastic is when in space. This most recent satellite is a continuation of that project. They're hoping to eventually 3-D print a frame of the satellite up on the international space station, which makes the manufacturing of small satellites simpler, quicker, and easier.
"It’s cool to finally see the completion of this project, finally getting this last payload up into orbit, and it’s also cool being able to have parts that I had a part in developing and designing up in space," said NNU research intern Ben Campbell.
Students say standard satellites designed on the ground have the withstand the pressures and forces of a rocket launch; this design only needs to withstand forces when in orbit.
