Missouri S&T student-designed satellite launched into orbit Monday to begin mission

Cheers arose from the 19 student team members from Missouri University of Science and Technology on Monday afternoon when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off, carrying a satellite designed by the students.

"Everyone just goes berserk and is cheering" when the launch occurred, said Emily Doddemeade, project manager of the student satellite team.

The students watched the launch from about 4 1/2 miles from the Vandenberg Space Force Base launch site of the SpaceX Transporter-10 mission, deploying dozens of small satellites. The launch site is in California.

She was smiling from ear to ear all day Monday, so much so that her face hurt on Tuesday, she said.

"My hands were actually physically shaking" during the launch, Doddemeade said.

Missouri S&T also held a launch watch party on the Rolla campus.

They were watching the mission video on their phones about an hour later as they ate dinner at a restaurant.

Another cheer went up when they heard "separation confirmed" of their satellite, she said.

"Everyone in our group started clapping," Doddemeade said. "It was very exciting."

The shoebox-sized satellite designed by the students is now orbiting Earth. It will power up in seven days, she said.

Then it will test a new eletrical propulsion system.

"It will go through five 30-second burns," Doddemeade said.

Plumes of propellant will emit from thrusters, she said.

A radio will transmit data to them, which will be stored on a Irridium Communications server.

The tests could take a minimum of an hour or a maximum of 2 1/2 hours, Doddemeade said.

"After the five 30-second burns, it's battery more likely will drain," she said. "It eventually will burn up in the atmosphere."

It may be silently orbiting for five to 10 years before it does, she said.

Doddemeade, from Denver, graduates from S&T in May. She has a job lined up with Lockheed Martin back home in Colorado, where she will work on satellites.

For most on the team, it was the first time to see a rocket launch in person, she said.

It has been a great experience, she said.

"It is an incredible feeling," Doddemeade said. "I feel so proud of the entire team. And I feel thankful to everyone who has helped us get here."

Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com. He's on X at @rmckinney9.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: SpaceX mission launches Missouri S&T satellite into orbit