CTE Mission: CubeSat is a national challenge to build technical skills for careers in space and beyond. The U.S. Department of Education invites high schools to bring space missions to students by designing and building CubeSat prototypes — in the classroom or at home.

Any public school that is eligible to receive funding under the Carl D. Perkins Act of 2006, as amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), may participate in the multiphase challenge.

Up to five finalists will receive an equal share of the following prize pool: 

  • $25,000
  • 10 LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3 Core Sets
  • 10 XinaBox kits
  • Five Arduino kits
  • Five Club for the Future Space Mail kits

From August to December 2020, participating teams will be able to use the resource hub, a curated collection of virtual resources, as they develop and submit their mission proposals. No in-person collaboration or prior experience with CubeSats is required.

The deadline for mission proposals is 5:59 p.m. ET on Friday, October 16, 2020. 

Schools that submit mission proposals will receive downloadable certificates, and eligible schools will be featured on the challenge website.

Based on mission proposals, up to five finalists will be selected to receive prizes and an invitation to participate in Phase 2.