Recently, the University of Toledo spotlighted their experience as part of the Dream Big initiative, and we’re excited to share their story as one example of this collaboration in action.

A Shared Mission, Brought to Life by Students

Through Dream Big, students across six universities have worked alongside high school teams to design, build, and test real satellite payloads, each one preparing for launch aboard a SpaceX Transporter-16 rideshare mission.

At UToledo, that effort brought together faculty, graduate students, and high school participants in a hands-on engineering experience that reflects what Dream Big is all about: applying classroom knowledge to real-world challenges.

Their team developed a satellite payload which, to quote their recent article, will “collect spectral and temperature data to study atmospheric composition, environmental changes and even agricultural conditions from outer space.”

This is certainly impressive but what makes Dream Big unique isn’t just payload or the launch, it’s the process. Students are deeply involved in every stage, from initial design to system integration and testing.

One Program, Many Teams, Shared Impact

While this story comes from UToledo, it reflects a much larger effort. Across the Midwest, Dream Big teams have prepared their own student-built satellites, each one representing months of collaboration, iteration, and learning.

Together, these teams demonstrate what’s possible when education extends beyond the classroom and into real missions.

Looking Ahead

As launch day approaches, we’re excited for every team that partnered with us on the Dream Big project. Each satellite represents the work of students who took on the challenge to design, build, and contribute to something real.

To read UToledo’s full spotlight, visit their article here:
https://news.utoledo.edu/index.php/03_25_2026/utoledo-partners-to-launch-satellite-into-space-aboard-spacex-rocket