The Puerto Rico CubeSat project to attract STEM students into the area of aerospace engineering

The purpose of this paper is to present an interdisciplinary research project in order to attract engineering students to the area of aerospace systems. The Puerto Rico NASA Space Grant (PRSGC) is a joint program between the University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez (UPRM), the Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon (UIPRB) and other educational institutions. The desired impact of the project is to promote interdisciplinary research in the area of aerospace systems with the collaboration of graduate and undergraduate students from electrical, mechanical and computer engineering departments. As an example of the progress obtained through interdisciplinary research, this paper will focus on the Electronic Power Supply (EPS) developed of a CubeSat by both the UPRM and the UIPRB. CubeSats are miniature satellites designed for space science explorations. Due to their low cost and reduced size, not only have they earned an eminent position in the field of space exploration but they have also become a reliable tool for space education. The multidisciplinary process consists of the design, simulation, and construction of each the CubeSats EPS. This collaboration has helped create ties between UPRM and the UIPRB.