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A “memorandum of understanding”-like document in which the Science & Data Processing Leads state their intentions for balancing collaborative projects with UTAT SS and more independent research projects on Remote Sensing topics.

RECOGNIZING GUARANTEES ARE NOT POSSIBLE WITHIN OUR STUDENT TEAM, ALL PARTIES AGREE TO MAKE A GOOD-FAITH COMMITMENT TO EXECUTE CORE PAY PROJECTS.

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Preamble and Context

ISHOFMAN, Chief Payload Engineer: UTAT Space Systems, Payload Team (UTAT SS PAY, PAY) is making a strategic pivot away from a cutting-edge scientifically novel nanosatellite mission to one that is primarily focused on student education with a mildly-compelling scientific value proposition. This pivot will substantially improve UTAT SS PAY’s ability to deliver a working end-product, considering our half-official status as a student group without a dedicated faculty supervisor and without a consistent stream of funding.

The goal is no longer to build a perfect cutting edge instrument - this was a stretch for a 3U CubeSat to begin with. Instead, we will aim to build a student-doable satellite payload, and crucially aim for perfect execution of our design. The most valuable and tangible learning opportunity will come not from designing the best-in-class hyperspectral imager (we can’t, we aren’t NASA / ESA). It would be to design a device, fabricate it, assemble it, test it, and potentially iterate until the device works as intended. Delivering a product trumps attempting to design a perfect product.

Our existential primary goal is to secure CUBICS grant funding to build and launch FINCH. UTAT SS leadership is actively preparing for the application by formulating a strategy & value proposition for the CSA, re-developing the FINCH EYE instrument design for anticipated form-factor changes, while bringing in industry & academia partners that provide core technical expertise and guidance. While we await the grant decision around June 2027, the UTAT SS PAY team will focus on building minimum-viable-products & prototypes that will enable the construction of our envisioned satellite payload by building deep familiarity with relevant technical problems. In other words, we will build a boke before building a car. This approach would put us in a strong position to execute on the CUBICS grant should we get awarded it.

Thus, considering this high-level re-alignment, we are re-evaluating current projects people-hour allocations in order to prioritizing projects that contribute to our goals for the CUBICS grant. The Science and Data Processing subsystems have been engaging in advanced research that was necessary to demonstrate the scientific feasibility of the “original” FINCH EYE payload. Now that the nature of the FINCH EYE payload has changed, it’s necessary for Science & Data Processing to take a few steps back and re-do some of their work from a different angle.

Science and Data Processing have pushed back on this change for a number of reasons:

• These subsystems have developed very talented members and built subject-matter expertise, as evidenced in them submitting 5 conference research papers within the last year;
• The projects that UTAT SS PAY requires for the CUBICS & prototyping strategy are either repetitive or not complex enough to be stimulating for the members in Science & Data Processing;
• Senior and qualified members have other opportunities that compete for their time and may chose to quit the team if they aren’t offered interesting projects to work on;
• Science & Data Processing have a clear vision & plan for continuing their advanced research projects, which includes finding dedicated faculty advisors, applying independently for computational grants, and pursuing the generalization & refinement of their current (scientific) data processing & analysis pipelines;
• Science & Data Processing can informally transition into a “Remote Sensing Research Group”, but wish to stay within the UTAT SS umbrella.

UTAT SS Leadership met this proposal with skepticism for a number of reasons:

• the nature of the work that the Remote Sensing Research Group will do is at best complimentary to the core CUBICS grant & prototyping strategy that we expect is the best bet at a viable future for all of UTAT Space Systems;
• The proposal to work on this independent and complimentary research, which doesn’t directly contribute to short-term objectives, creates a labor and talent vacuum within the team. We need experienced members from Science & Data Processing to work on these projects, yet these members do not wish to avail themselves to this work;
• Staying as a part of UTAT SS, the Remote Sensing Research Group creates a difficult dynamic where the command structure is murky and budget allocation priorities are contested.

UTAT SS Leadership and Science & Data Processing Leadership have agreed to resolve this conflict together with the Director of Space Systems over the course of several meetings in April - early May 2026. The outcome of the conflict-resolution is to:

1. All parties (Director of SS, Chief Payload Engineer, Science Lead, Data Processing Lead, senior members if applicable) understand each others’ viewpoints adequately;
2. All parties agree on a course of action, management structure, and list of technical & research projects for the Summer of 2026 (onwards referred to as “Summer 2026 Strategy”), with the understanding that there’ll be another check-in before Fall 2026 to discuss whether the arrangements are meeting expectations for all parties involved;