Space Lab

For students

Real space research, open to anyone.

Space Lab gives students at Texas State a way into space science and engineering — helping develop the lab’s satellites and high-altitude balloon missions, and working alongside several student organizations focused on space exploration. No prior experience required, no major requirement.

What you might work on

  • Hardware assembly and testing for the lab’s satellite missions (BobcatOrbiter, PROVES-Maia).
  • Ground command and communications — the radios, software, and procedures that talk to the spacecraft.
  • High-altitude balloon design, launch operations, and recovery.
  • Mission patches, public-facing communications, financial coordination, and project management — the lab runs on more than just engineering.
Lab alumnus Matthew Johnson seated at a desk, developing the lab's ground command software with multiple monitors and radio equipment.
Matthew Johnson developing the lab’s ground command.
Space Lab members and Dr. Rangelov testing NomadLink, a portable satellite radio system, outdoors with antenna and laptop.
Field-testing NomadLink, the lab’s portable satellite radio.
Student search party recovering the Helios-I balloon payload after touchdown, standing in a field.
Recovery party for the Helios-I balloon mission.
Lab alumni Aaron Gonzalez and Matthew Johnson at a workbench, working on PROVES-Maia and NomadLink hardware.
Aaron Gonzalez and Matthew Johnson on PROVES-Maia & NomadLink.
Space Lab booth and members at the 2022 SXSW Innovation Lab event.
Space Lab at the 2022 SXSW Innovation Lab.
A laptop in the Space Lab showing the first successful telemetry contact with BobcatOrbiter on screen.
BobcatOrbiter’s first signal back to the lab.

How to join

The easiest way in is the Society for Space Exploration at Texas State, the student organization most closely tied to the lab. Self-enroll in the Canvas course below and you’ll start receiving notices about meetings, missions, and openings.

Society for Space Exploration on Canvas

If you have a specific project in mind — or just questions — reach out.