COVER STORY

Cuberider CEO Solange Cunin. (Photo: Anna Kucera/Fairfax Media)

Cuberider launches schools first time, learning the proper scientific learning important skills like coding into the stratosphere method and learning how STEM and data analysis, all the way through Aerospace engineering student, works in the real world. And that was to communication and teamwork 23-year-old Solange Cunin, dreamed something that we and NASA were conflict resolution.” of bringing the wonder of space into very excited about.” Students begin by progressing classrooms across . Solange’s It was also necessary to apply for through an online learning program dream became a reality in the early the first Overseas Launch Certificate written by leading engineers hours of December 10, 2016, when, ever issued by , and astrophysicists dubbed the through her Cuberider program, signed by Science and Industry Minister “Launchpad”. Schools are then given a small integrated sensor became . NASA approved technology, which, in Australia’s first payload sent to the “Cuberider gets rid of your stale, combination with their new Launchpad International Space Station. stereotypical classroom that has knowledge, allows students to design, The program sees students develop basically been the same for the past code, test and refine an experiment, their own experiments, which are 100 years,” Solange said. “We turn before conducting a final test via a rocketed to the International Space them into a mission-control centre, so stratosphere launch. This combines Station. In less than three years, it we take students on a journey within towards the final step, where the has attracted the participation of over the classroom to space. They start experiments are launched to the 1000 students annually from around the country. Remarkably, Cuberider experiments are the first Australian cargo to go to the International Space Station. “When we were getting the rocket mission organised, we actually had to get permission from [16] nations to have the very first Australian payload go up there,” Solange said. “And it wasn’t for Australia’s leading scientists conducting research or even military applications. It was from a group of teenagers learning to code for the

Primary students from Casula Primary School, NSW, with | 36 | ISSUE 603 MARCH 2018 Minister Craig Laundy and Cuberider CEO Solange Cunin COVER STORY

Students from Hunter Valley Grammar School, NSW, with former Lord Mayor of Lucy Turnbull AO.

International Space Station, then run base in Florida, US, filmed by ABC TV. A students’ efforts, along with by the astronauts on board. fortnight later, the astronauts sent data honourable guests Lucy Turnbull AO Previous experiments included back to the students to begin analysis. and the Honourable Craig Laundy measuring astronaut UV exposure “The students are trying to MP, acting Minister for Industry on the Space Station using sensors understand the environment in which and Innovation. and testing variations in the earth’s our astronauts are working and In 2018, the Rotary clubs of magnetic field. Other schools used how that is going to impact future Wahroonga and Northern Beaches, algorithms to turn raw data collected voyages. In simple terms, the goal is NSW, intend to support a number from space into music and art. to make space travel easier,” said their of schools to participate in the 2018 The Rotary Club of Wahroonga, science teacher Keerti Shukla. “This Cuberider launch. The Wahroonga NSW, has fully funded Doonside is one of those projects where the club has taken on the role of facilitator Technology High’s involvement in kids are applying every skill they have between Rotary and Cuberider for Cuberider in 2016 and 2017. For 2017, been learning in maths, science and interested clubs, for which they have the students devised an experiment engineering and bringing it together negotiated a special Rotary price of comparing the temperature, light to design a real-world experiment $50 per student, half of the normal intensity and pressure on Earth as being done by real astronauts.” base price of $100. Discussions have well as in the stratosphere and Space The Powerhouse Museum paid also begun with major businesses that Station. This calculated the magnetic $15,000 for the 2016 Cube, depend on sourcing STEM-educated field lines on Earth and in space, containing all the experiments to be human capital, to explore potential along with other measurements. brought back from the International future partnerships. In August, Doonside students held Space Station, to become part of an all-night vigil to witness the 2:30am the museum’s permanent display. To find out more, visit www. launch of the commercial SpaceX Business leaders, universities and cuberider.com or contact Bob Howe rocket, owned by entrepreneur Elon STEM professionals attended via bob.howe@strategicconsulting. Musk, from NASA’s Cape Canaveral a presentation showcasing the com.au or 0411 186 722.

ROTARYDOWNUNDER.ORG | 37 |