About Us

The inception of the AlbertaSat student team is a tale rife with adventure, struggle, glory, and space toasters...

#LiftOffAlberta

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.

Around the same time 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 Ex-Alta 1 satellite is the first fully Albertan satellite in the history of our province and the first example of the capability of Albertans on the world aerospace stage. Space represents the next stage of human development of which we have barely scratched the surface. This age of space and technology represents economic, philosophical, cultural and intellectual expansion on a global scale. Ex-Alta 1 is the platform that is helping carry Alberta into that age and Ex-Alta 2 is not far behind.

Thanks to our Supporters!