UBC Orbit

Firmware Developer

Sep 2023 - May 2025

UBC Orbit is my university’s satellite design team: a multidisciplinary group of over 50 students working to design, build, and launch functioning satellites. Our current mission is ALEASAT, an Earth-observation CubeSat designed to aid radio amateurs in disaster relief by enabling on-demand image capture of specific locations on Earth. Unlike conventional Earth-observing satellites that passively collect data, ALEASAT empowers users to actively request and downlink imagery—making it a powerful tool for real-time disaster monitoring.

As a firmware developer on the Command and Data handling team, I had the opportunity to work at the intersection of software and hardware, where every line of code must be precise, efficient, and battle-tested for the unforgiving conditions of space. I implemented a driver in C for the MR25H40 MRAM chip over MibSPI, enabling reliable non-volatile data storage onboard the satellite. I also built a Dockerized CI/CD pipeline for our Command and Control software to ensure smooth, platform-agnostic development for our diverse team.

What made this experience especially rewarding wasn’t just the technical depth—it was the environment. Orbit gave me the space to propose solutions, approach problems from multiple system-level perspectives, and collaborate closely with brilliant peers from a wide range of disciplines. I had the chance to lead development efforts, but also to mentor newer member*, help grow the team’s knowledge base, and refine my ability to communicate and reason through complex decisions in a collaborative setting.

Working on a real satellite, with real stakes, taught me what it means to be accountable for the systems I help design. It demanded rigor, creativity, and humility—and it gave back experience, confidence, and friendships.

ALEASAT is currently being developed in collaboration with the Simon Fraser University Satellite Design Team, with support from the European Space Agency’s Fly Your Satellite! program, Radio Amateurs of Canada, and UBC. When it launches, it will carry not just our hardware, but the vision of dozens of students—proving what’s possible when you dare to venture into the unknown.

Audebimus in incognitum — We will venture into the unknown.