This spring marked the successful culmination of our Infinite Sky STEM project, as students and educators celebrated the final launch of their CubeSat emulators aboard a high-altitude balloon. After months of hands-on learning, engineering, and collaboration, the emulators soared into the stratosphere—carrying not just sensors and data loggers but the hard work and excitement of classrooms across the country.
The project brought together students from rural communities to design, build, and test CubeSat emulators—scaled models that mimic the functions of real satellites. By launching them on a high-altitude balloon, we were able to give students a realistic and thrilling experience of near-space conditions.
Our 2025 Infinite Sky Classrooms
Sarah Enyeart — Shade Gap, PA
“I never doubted that you could do it! Sending satellites into the atmosphere at 10 and 11?!? Imagine what kind of mountain movers you will be at 18. Keep dreaming and questioning and stay curious!” – Sarah Enyeart
“Today 5th grade ceremoniously launched a satellite! Over the last few months, they’ve been working during their club times to learn how to design, build, and code a mini satellite. Because we are not actually able to physically launch it from the elementary school, the satellite will travel to New Jersey, where it will take a ride in a high-altitude weather balloon. The class will be able to track the data from their satellite as it travels through our atmosphere.” – Sarah Enyeart
Sarah took her STEM project a step further. After a visit from Colonel Santillo from Letterkenny Army Depot, where he spoke to the children about the importance of the work that they were doing and encouraged them to continue, he secured clearances for the students to visit the facility and witness firsthand how classroom skills translate into real-world careers. Students met with engineers, tech professionals, and manufacturing teams, connecting their learning to future career paths. Sarah always asks her students, “How does this apply when you’re older?”—the visit made that answer clear. It brought everything full circle.
Amanda Bramlett — McLeod, TX
Integrating the project into her Physics class, and taking her Biology, Chemistry, and Forensics classes along for the ride, her students all got to play a part in the project!
Amanda’s students were brand new to Arduino and figured things out as they worked. With several students already confident in soldering and construction, they combined their skills to construct their Emulator and create their experiment!
Breanne Williamson — Riley, KS
Breanne Williamsonintegrated this project into her Earth/Space class.
Breanne’s students worked with light intensity sensors, a temperature sensor, and a pressure sensor! They gained lots of experience with soldering through this process.
Robin Bolle — Downieville, CA
Robin Bolle’s Astronomy students work on assembling their experiment to ready the CubeSat for launch.
Robin’s students overcame a lot of obstacles with making pieces fit and resoldering parts. They worked together to create their CubeSat, and took things a step further by figuring out a photo sensor for their experiment!
Launch Day
The launch day was a true celebration of STEM education in action. With the support of our incredible partners and educators, students watched their devices lift off and gather data from altitudes exceeding 61,000 feet. This kind of real-world learning helps students see how classroom concepts translate into careers in aerospace, engineering, and data science.
From initial design to final flight, this project has demonstrated what’s possible when young minds are given the tools and mentorship to dream big. We’re proud of every student who took part and grateful to every educator who made this experience meaningful and memorable.
