Bath Middle School sixth‑graders describe successful Cubat project that reached near‑space conditions

Sixth‑grade students from Bath Middle School’s Extended Learning Services (ELS) presented their Cubat (CubeSat) project to the RSU 1 board on June 16, describing a year‑long design, test and launch process carried out in partnership with the University of Southern Maine.

Students explained the project constraints — a 10 x 10 x 10 centimeter envelope, a mass under 300 grams and a cost cap of $150 — and described design evolution from a mechanically actuated door to a simpler balloon‑and‑pin release that dispersed seeds in flight. They detailed preflight checks that included survivability tests (bubble‑wrap drops), mass verification, and vacuum‑chamber trials to simulate near‑space conditions.

The team said the launch was delayed to avoid predictable water recovery and instead recovered in marshland. They described the lessons learned: simplifying mechanisms to reduce failure points, the persistence required to iterate designs, and the educational benefits of hands‑on engineering challenges. Students credited USM engineering support and 3D‑printing resources available in the ELS room.

Board members asked about timeline, duration and participation logistics; students reported a two‑month project window and described camp/class format, 3D printing resources and family participation options for future teams. Staff said the Cubat work runs during ELS class time (about four 50‑minute sessions weekly) and encouraged further cross‑grade participation.

The presentation concluded with student‑led reflections on perseverance and optimism and board praise for the project’s hands‑on STEM learning value.