Upper Bucks Tech Students Manufacture Devices for NASA

The Reporter Staff•

Upper Bucks County Technical School students are manufacturing parts to spec for the International Space Station using Fusion 360 CAD/CAM software and

Six senior students from Upper Bucks County Technical School (UBCTS) met with NASA representatives on Thursday, October 26 to present tang devices they manufactured for use on the robotic arm of a NanoRack CubeSat Deployer, which will launch 4-inch-square satellites from outside the International Space Station.

In a press release, UBCTS described the project as part of the NASA HUNCH (High Schools United with NASA to Create Hardware) program, founded as a means of giving high school students new educational experiences by producing hardware training items for the International Space Station.

The small satellites contain experiments for universities and businesses. NASA provides the drawings, and the students manufacture the parts, which must meet standards within thousandths of an inch. Along with receiving the final products, NASA is provided with complete documentation including the materials and chemicals utilized to produce the devices, said the press release.

"Working with NASA has raised our standards and is opening doors that we never expected,” said Everett Cupak, a senior at UBCTS.

After having their work inspected and approved, the students had the opportunity to sign the locker top of the CubeSat Deployer.

"Teachers participating in this process have gone the extra mile to ensure students produce excellent, precision hardware for NASA,” said Florence Gold, Ed.D., NASA HUNCH Implementation Project Manager. "I would like to recognize Upper Bucks County Technical School for their outstanding work in making exceptional tang parts for Cube Satellite Deployers. Students in Mr. Canceliere’s precision manufacturing class are contributing to and helping NASA meet its requirements and goals of space exploration.”

"We are incredibly proud of our partnership with NASA, which exemplifies the extraordinary dedication, talent, and innovation cultivated within our educational community,” says Dr. Michael Herrera, Executive Director, Upper Bucks County Technical School. "In a groundbreaking achievement, our students successfully manufactured tang parts tailored for the NanoRack CubeSat Deployer, a first in our nation’s history for high school students to manufacture.”

Upper Bucks County Technical School provides comprehensive technical and academic education to Bucks County, Pennsylvania students in grades 9‑12. Located in Perkasie, UBCTS offers programs that prepare students for success in various industries and empower them with the skills needed for meaningful careers. For more information, visit ubtech.org.

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