Air Force Research Labs (AFRL)

The University Nanosatellite Program (UNP) funds U.S. university students and programs to design, build, launch, and operate small satellites. UNP is funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and managed from the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Space Vehicles Directorate (RV) located on Kirtland Air Force Base, NM. UNP is a nationally recognized Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math workforce training program. UNP’s objective is to train the next generation of space professionals by providing a rigorous concept-to-flight-ready spacecraft development process centered on systems engineering principles and practices. UNP provides AFRL and DoD parties the option to leverage technologies and platforms in research areas of interest to AFRL. Finally, UNP provides AFRL and industry a work force pipeline made up of students who have been trained in small satellite development. In 1999, UNP was synonymous with the Nanosatellite (NS) cycle of small satellite development from universities, with professional mentoring led by AFRL. NS is a four phased cycle where multiple university teams are funded to develop their systems with the goal of achieving a flight ready system.