From School Project to Space Enterprise:

Innova Space’s Pocketqube case study

Innova Space, an Argentine startup based in Mar Del Plata, is rewriting the narrative of space exploration. What began as an educational project led by Alejandro Cordero, a visionary educator at the Technical School No.5 of Mar Del Plata, has rapidly evolved into a pioneering space start-up on a mission to revolutionise connectivity in Latin America’s agriculture, mining and oil & gas sectors using tiny satellites. This case study delves into the remarkable journey of Innova Space, from its humble beginnings to their groundbreaking achievements.

SatDuino: Latin America’s 1st high school satellite

At the heart of Innova Space's journey lies the story of SatDuino, a testament to the transformative power of education and hands-on learning experiences. The SatDuino project was born when a teacher at Technical Education School No. 5, Alejandro Cordero, challenged his students to think ‘what could we do that not only has impact, but is also applicable and achievable?’.

Cordero, who is now CEO of Innova Space explained “Our first idea was to develop a nanosatellite but upon further research, we discovered PocketQubes, a new standard that made launching your own satellite more accessible than ever before.’ He expanded ‘We also saw that a PocketQube had never been manufactured in any Argentinian schools before; not even in wider South America,”

From there, Mr Cordero and his students set out to develop their own PocketQube, named SatDuino, proving to be the perfect educational tool. Not only would the SatDuino project ‘cover all the subjects studied in the curriculum’ but also ignited the passions of his students with a real satellite project that could one day reach space.

PocketQubes are a type of ‘pico-satellite’ that can be launched to orbit for as little as 25K Euro. Measuring at just 5cm3 per unit, these tiny satellites are comparable in size to a Rubik's cube, and can host a range of missions for science, research and education.

Luca Uriarte, a student of Cordero at the time explained that the main purpose of these tiny satellites was ‘to provide hands on experience of satellite development for very low cost, and at a price that was accessible enough to build in a classroom’. He further explained that ‘Once in-orbit, PocketQubes can be used for various applications such as gathering data to help the environment or farmers in agriculture’.

In October 2019, Alejandro Cordero took his students to Scotland to present at the 3rd Annual PocketQube Conference where they could network with world leading pico-satellite developers from across the globe. Attending the conference served as a catalyst, igniting their ambitions and inspiring them to take their project to the next level.

From classroom to space enterprise: the birth of Innova Space

Recognising the transformative potential of pico-satellite technology in addressing real-world challenges, particularly in Latin America’s agricultural sector, Alejandro Cordero and his former students established ‘Innova Space’. Innova Space is a pioneering startup dedicated to pushing the revolutionising Internet of Things connectivity through the innovative use of low-cost space technologies.

‘Internet of things’ is a way of describing how everyday objects can connect to the internet and communicate with each other. Think of it like having smart devices in your home, like thermostats or light bulbs, that you can control from your phone. But IoT goes beyond just homes – it can be used in agriculture, healthcare, transportation, and more to make things smarter and more efficient.

In the agricultural use case, IoT can be used to make farms ‘smarter’. For instance, farmers can use sensors and devices to monitor things like soil moisture, temperature, and crop health in real-time. This means they can make better decisions about when to water, fertilize, or harvest their crops, leading to higher yields and healthier plants. This data can also help with things like tracking livestock, monitoring weather conditions, and even controlling irrigation systems remotely.

The trailblazing work of Cordero and his former students had not only caught the eyes of the media, but also the attention of investors who wanted to support their mission. In 2020, Innova Space had secured their first significant investment from the Ministry of Productive Development of Argentina to complete the development and launch of their first technological proof of concept for an eventual constellation of IoT picosatellites.

"Pico-satellites offer us a game-changing advantage in our mission to revolutionise agriculture, transport, and other sectors through IoT. These tiny satellites may be small in size, but their impact is anything but. With Pico-satellites, we can create a constellation that's not only cost-effective and scalable but also incredibly versatile. Imagine launching a fleet of satellites into space, each one customized to monitor different aspects of agriculture, from crop health to weather patterns. It's like having eyes in the sky, helping us make smarter decisions and improve efficiency like never before” said Alejandro Codero.

MDQUBESAT-1: Innova Space’s first steps into space

In 2021, Innova Space took a significant leap forward by signing a Launch Services Agreement with Alba Orbital to launch MDQUBESAT-1, their first in-orbit technology demonstration mission.

MDQUBESAT-1, a 2P PocketQube measuring at 5x5x10cm, was designed as Innova Space’s inaugural in-orbit demonstration mission. This innovative new pico-satellite platform would later serve as the backbone of the company’s growing constellation of satellites named “Libertadores de América” dedicated to revolutionising IoT communications.

MDQUBESAT-1 had flown on Alba Orbital’s second launch campaign on board SpaceX’s Transporter-3 mission on 13th January 2022 at 15:25 UTC. The MDQUBESAT-1 mission was a huge milestone for the Innova Space team as they successfully build, designed and launched their 1st satellite for IoT. Innova Space quickly got to work developing new pico-satellites, iterating on their previous designs incorporating all the lessons learned from their experience of building and flying their 1st orbital satellite.

In December 2023, Innova Space launched their second PocketQube with Alba Orbital, on board another SpaceX Falcon 9 flight. After the deployment of MDQUBESAT-2, the Innova Space team took to social media to celebrate the success of their newest mission that served as a historical milestone for the company and another crucial step in their proof-of-concept for IoT applications.

MDQUBESAT-2: latest mission Success!

'MDQUBESAT-2', a 2P PocketQube for IoT, launched on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket on December 1, 2023, and was deployed in-orbit by Scottish company Alba Orbital on December 22, 2023.

After a short two months in-orbit, MDQUBESAT-2 had sent almost 4,000 packets of information to ground stations around the world, far exceeding the expectations the Innova Space team had for their second PocketQube In-orbit demonstration mission.

In addition, Innova Space had successfully delivered packets with sensor data from the ground, demonstrating their technology's ability to collect and transmit crucial information. Not only that, but they were also able to confirm their 1st successful reception of user data and visualise it on to their own mobile app, where they will be able to provide their customers with instant access to information wherever they are.

After these exciting achievements, the classroom-turned-startup are now gearing to take the next big step in their amazing journey. They are looking to raise a seed round for a total of 2 million dollars to accelerate their developments. This investment will allow the ambitious team to expand their operations, strengthen their capabilities, and continue to lead the way in the field of IoT Pico-satellites. The team had stated that they were looking to deploy their full “Libertadores de América” constellation of 90 IoT pico-sats as early as Q1 2026.

Innova Space are a prime example of the revolutionary technology that PocketQubes can provide for the world. The low cost and shorter build times allow for much quicker and affordable space-based projects, essential for allowing young students passionate about the wonders of space, a chance to launch their own satellite. They are an amazing educational opportunity to get hands-on experience with mission design and introduces pupils into the world of STEM, encouraging the next generation of engineers to solve problems on earth from space.

Interested in building your own PocketQube?

Alba Orbital is the leading provider of PocketQube satellite rideshare services, having delivered 41 satellites to orbit to date with launch partners such as SpaceX and Rocket Lab. With a focus on accessibility and reliability, Alba Orbital empowers organizations worldwide to realize their space exploration goals. If you would like to launch your own space based missions, get in touch at contact@albaorbital.com or fill in our contact form.