AlbertaSat began as a student group in 2010 responding to the call of the Canadian Satellite Design Challenge (CSDC) – an innovative new Canada wide competition encouraging university students to cross the boundaries of what is considered a normal education and try their hand at spacecraft design. The first CSDC competition was a marvelous exercise in experimentation and curiosity as the students of AlbertaSat studied the dynamics of orbital control and considered the effects of free molecular friction on a spacecraft in the upper atmosphere.

After participating in the first few CSDC missions, AlbertaSat revitalized its efforts and crafted a dream – a dream of providing an aerospace education to Albertans along with a commercial space industry supporting the continued development of Alberta’s economy. This dream began with a few members and grew to encompass over 40 students from various disciplines and over 10 faculty members at the University of Alberta. Momentum grew, and from the initial dream, the idea and the design of the Experimental Albertan #1 (Ex-Alta 1) Satellite was created. The team spent the next two years building its first foray into space as a member of the QB50 mission. Eventually, it reached the launch pad in April 2017.