Members of the Queen Mary Society for the Exploration and Development of Space (QMSEDS) have clinched awards for Best Presentation and Best Report at the 2024 Satellite Design Competition. The event, organised by UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (UKSEDS), challenged students to design, construct, and operate a CubeSat payload system through a rigorous process involving concept creation, performance trade-offs, and expert reviews.

Held at Airbus Defence and Space’s facilities in Stevenage, the competition provided teams with access to state-of-the-art equipment including a Thermal Vacuum Chamber, vibration testing rigs, and even a so-called ‘mystery room’. QMSEDS’s entry, a team dubbed QM Starlite, comprised thirteen students: Emma Nicolai, Joshua Amar, Emmanuel Airiofolo, Borga Daloglu, Titouan Reynaud, Noah Leigh, Ayash Rath, Hardit Saini, Matthias Dean, Evangelos Chortareas, Samin Hoque, Jarina Jahir, and Santiago Escobar. Emma Nicolai, the society’s president, noted, “We spent a day testing the CubeSat with their facilities, which was an invaluable experience.”

The team’s 57-page Critical Design Review, which secured the Best Report award, offered an in-depth technical analysis that laid the groundwork for building and testing their CubeSat. Designed with wildfire detection and prevention in mind, the satellite incorporates a Heimann IR Array—an advanced infrared sensor—and a camera capable of overlaying images to provide a comprehensive view of temperature distributions across affected geographical areas. This innovative setup will enable the CubeSat to monitor heat movements and relay early warning data to ground stations.

Reflecting on the team's success, Nicolai commented, “This achievement marks a great end to our first year as a society. Winning these awards is an incredible achievement, especially considering we’ve only been a society for a year and started from scratch. We are immensely grateful for the recognition and believe it solidifies our reputation as a capable team. This success inspires us to aim even higher and accomplish greater things in the coming year.”

Looking ahead, QMSEDS plan to launch their CubeSat at the start of October. In addition to preparing for the 2025 Satellite Design Competition, the team will also take part in events such as the Olympus Rover Trail, the National Rocketry Championship, and will attend both the National Student Space Conference and Space Comm.