The upcoming launch of a satellite designed and built by Sonoma State University students has been delayed due to bad weather, the university announced Wednesday. 

The CubeSat mini satellite was scheduled to launch into space Thursday from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc in Santa Barbara County. 

The satellite is not expected to be launched until after next Wednesday, according to Sonoma State University spokesperson Jeff Keating. 

Nicknamed “3UCubed,” the satellite will measure atmospheric density and electron precipitation in Earth’s upper atmosphere. 

It was developed as part of NASA’s Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe mission. A team of about 70 college students from Sonoma State, Howard University and the University of New Hampshire — studying engineering, computing, computer science, and physics — collaborated to design and build it.

According to Sonoma State, the CubeSat is roughly the size of a loaf of bread. It will orbit in the thermosphere, or upper atmosphere, the same region as the International Space Station. 

The students spent five years completing the project, working alongside SSU professors and engineers. In their role, SSU students developed software for the ground station that will communicate with 3UCubed and collect its data. The satellite was fully assembled at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, New Hampshire. 


Left: An illustration of “3UCubed,” a CubeSat mini satellite designed and built by students from Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, Calif., in collaboration with Howard University and the University of New Hampshire. Right: Sonoma State University students in Rohnert Park, Calif. stand near the ground station antennas that will communicate with “3UCubed,” the student-built CubeSat launching Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, from Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc, Calif.  (Sonoma State University via Bay City News)

“Working on 3UCubed gave me more than technical skills. It taught me the importance of curiosity, perseverance, and collaboration,” said Logan Rubalcava, who graduated from SSU in 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in physics. “I learned that STEM isn’t just about the science and tech, but also about the people, the mentorship, and the passion we bring to our work.”

Sonoma State University will send out updates for the next rescheduled launch date, Keating said. 

Note: This story has been updated after the weather-related postponement of the satellite launch, now expected after next Wednesday.