RATHDRUM, Idaho – North Idaho STEM Charter Academy has been selected by NASA to send a satellite into space.
There were 20 other school chosen by NASA. Ten of the other school were universities along with the U.S. Naval Academy and other current NASA centers.
"Our school is going to be sending into space a Cube Sat that will hitch a ride onto one of their rockets," North Idaho STEM Charter Academy Beth Brubaker said. A Cube Sat is a one-foot long satellite that is easy for NASA to send out. Students will be able to communicate with the Cube Sat by Morse code once it is in space.
The school has only been around for six years and has 400 students from grades first to 10th.
"They're going to be able to have it launched into space and track it in space and communicate with it. So it's pretty darn exciting," mentor Brent Regan said.
The school said it is the first time a high school was selected to be a part of the CubeSat program.
"It's really humbling,” sophomore Joe Broder said. “I had no idea we would be able to be part of something this big."
The satellite will be called “Da Vinci,” according to NASA. One of the biggest challenges will be building the device.
"You also have to think about the work ahead,” sophomore Jessica Millard said. “It kind of gives me that feeling like wow we get to do something that is involved around the world."
“Da Vinci” is set to launch in June 2017.
