It's official! UC CubeCats are in space!
With the launch of CRS NG-24 aboard a SpaceX Falcon9 this morning, April 11th, 2026 at 7:41 AM Eastern, LEOPARDSat-1 has officially entered orbit aboard the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft bound for the International Space Station. This is the first space mission from the University of Cincinnati and the first student led satellite from the state of Ohio. We were extremely fortunate to be able to bring a group of nearly 30 students to come witness this historic milestone in person. Seeing years of dedication, technical excellence, teamwork, and perseverance culminate in launch was something we will never forget.
We want to sincerely thank everyone who has helped make this possible, including our sponsors, partners, mentors, advisors, families, friends, supporters, and community. This mission was multigenerational, built through the efforts of students, but was made possible by a much larger community that believed in what we could accomplish.
Thank you to our supporters at NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Voyager Technologies, and L3Harris Technologies for their unwavering and immense support. And a special thank you to the University of Cincinnati's Center for Entrepreneurship, whose generous support has made it possible for our team to travel and witness this launch and continue to dream big. The 1819 Innovation Hub team has helped spread our message and even helped build components on our satellite. University of Cincinnati Foundation for facilitating funding and donations, and the University of Cincinnati - College of Engineering and Applied Science.
And thank you to our partners at Ohio Department of Higher Education, Cincinnati Observatory, Cincinnati Astronomical Society, Ohio Space Grant Consortium, UC Amateur Radio Club, AMEND Consulting, and Voice of America, all of whom have supported our mission. Your investment in our students and our vision has helped make history.
This is only the beginning. We are well underway developing our next satellite, Harmful Algal Bloom Satellite 1, or HABSat-1. While LEOPARDSat-1 is a major milestone for the University of Cincinnati, it is just the start of UC CubeCats continued space presence. We have laid the foundation for the future of missions, technology, education, and student leadership to come.
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