UND ROADS 1 & 2 Successfully Launched Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9
UND ROADS Mission Achieves Historic Milestone with Dual CubeSats in Orbit
Today marks a historic milestone for the UND ROADS Mission: both UND ROADS 1 and UND ROADS 2 have officially reached Low Earth Orbit (LEO) following their successful deployment aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-14 rideshare mission.
The Space Operations Group (SOG) gathered in the Space Operations Center at UND to watch the live stream of the launch. Joining them virtually were members of Added Value Solutions (AVS) US and AVS Spain, the partner teams responsible for developing the two 3U CubeSats on orbit, as well as the Odegard Ground Station that will soon serve as UND’s home for satellite operations once commissioning is completed at the end of July.
Among those present were Dr. Ron Fevig, Associate Professor in the UND Department of Space Studies and Technical Lead for ROADS, and Jacob Stanley, a graduate student of Space Studies and primary Satellite Operator for the mission. Both had the unique opportunity to follow the launch alongside the AVS Spain team and take part in the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) that will be carried out in Victoria, Spain.
From Countdown to Confirmation
Originally scheduled for June 22, the launch was delayed by high winds and rescheduled for June 23. Despite the proven track record of the Falcon 9 rocket, the tension was unmistakable as UND’s satellites rode to orbit.
At 00:54:46 post-launch, relief washed over the team with the announcement:
“UND ROADS 1 Separation confirmed.”
A moment later, at 00:57:05 post-launch, came the words everyone had been waiting for:
“UND ROADS 2 Separation confirmed.”
The second confirmation brought a wave of celebration across UND, AVS US, and AVS Spain. After over a year of preparation and collaboration, the UND ROADS mission had officially begun.
If you are interested to hear the confirmation for yourself, you can watch SpaceX’s Transporter 14 mission here (SpaceX – Transporter-14 Mission)
What’s Next
Over the coming weeks, the AVS Spain team will lead the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), working to establish communication with both satellites and verify their health and performance. During this phase, the Space Operations Group will remotely observe AVS Spain’s activities, gaining valuable insight into satellite operations.
This successful launch marks not only a technical achievement, but also a proud milestone for UND students, faculty, and AVS who have worked tirelessly to bring the ROADS mission to life.
Stay tuned for further updates as UND steps into its new role as a leader in university-level satellite operations.
