In a groundbreaking collaboration, the Royal High School CTE Machining Department has joined forces with NASA's High School Students United with NASA to Create Hardware (HUNCH) program, taking education beyond the conventional boundaries of the classroom. This partnership marks an exciting milestone, offering students a unique opportunity to engage with real-world projects developed by NASA and contribute to the advancement of space exploration.
What is NASA HUNCH?
The NASA HUNCH program is designed to provide high school students with hands-on, project-based learning experiences directly tied to NASA's mission. HUNCH allows students to work on authentic tasks that contribute to NASA's goals while gaining valuable skills and knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The program fosters collaboration between students, educators, and NASA professionals, creating a dynamic learning environment.
Students enrolled in Royal HS CTE Machining Classes manufacture the components of CubeSat Deployers (CSD). A CubeSat is a class of miniaturized satellites approximately 10 cm (3.9 in) cubes. Developed as educational tools, CubeSats have evolved into scientific research and even commercial applications, usually custom-built for each mission. CTE Machining students manufacture and assemble the components to produce complete CSD units.
The parts manufactured by Royal CTE Machining students will eventually make their way to the International Space Station (ISS). HUNCH provides materials and assistance needed for our CTE Machining students to manufacture their components. Through HUNCH, students gain manufacturing experience and become part of a continuing project that provides actual space studies for future human exploration.
Eight of our Royal CTE Machining students will be taking a training class on quality control with a HUNCH-certified inspector on November 30th. For the students that pass the test the HUNCH-certified inspector administers, they will receive numbered inspection stamps for students to use on their 829 and 881 forms. They will also receive a Quality Certificate.
As Royal High School continues to strengthen its partnership with the NASA HUNCH program, the future looks promising. The collaboration between the Royal HS CTE Machining Department and the NASA HUNCH program exemplifies the power of partnerships between educational institutions and leading organizations, demonstrating the immense potential to inspire and prepare the next generation of scientists, engineers, and machinists. Royal High School CTE Department has long been committed to fostering excellence in STEM education, and the partnership with NASA HUNCH aligns seamlessly with the District’s Mission, “Investing in our Tomorrow”.
