Build a CubeSat

In 2020 I set out to learn everything I needed to build a spaceworthy CubeSat that could actually be launched and do something useful in orbit – without any technical training. What started as a personal challenge quickly grew into a long-term project: to make satellite building more accessible to individuals, students, and small teams.

Most commercial CubeSat kits are prohibitively expensive and closed source. They lock you into fixed configurations and make iteration difficult. Build a CubeSat is my attempt to change that – by developing an open, modular hardware framework that scales with a project’s needs. Instead of starting over with every new idea, you can build on what you already have. My target is a 5× reduction in cost compared to existing solutions.

In 2024 I launched my YouTube channel to document the process and share what I learn with other space enthusiasts. By being transparent about successes and failures alike, I hope to lower the entry barrier for anyone who wants to get involved.

In 2025 the first suborbital flight test took place, and and work on increasingly space-worthy prototypes continues, with the long-term goal of an orbital demonstration mission in 2035. Check below for more milestones.

So far, this is a one-person effort. Before this, I ran a film production company until the pandemic shut it down. I had dabbled in electronics, but it was only then that I decided to fully dive into engineering, business, and the history of space exploration. I realized that what I was missing most at the start – an affordable, open CubeSat kit – was something I could build myself, and share with others.

I have been collecting relevant learning resources, documents and website since I started this project, and I recently started categorizing and publishing them on CubeSat Resources – go check it out!