Ben Fried, Hamden Hall Class of 2009, has received high recognition by NASA for his work on a space project.

Ben was a member of one of three teams that earned a $20,000 prize and a slot to launch their CubeSat on Exploration Mission-1, the first integrated flight of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft.

Ben was on team CU-E3 (The Earth Escape Explorer) and was presented the award by NASA’S Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) that recognized rides for three small spacecraft on the agency's newest rocket. The three winning teams of “citizen solvers” will now compete in the on-orbit segment of the agency’s Cube Quest Challenge.

Once deployed, the CubeSats will vie for a share of a $5 million prize in the first-ever competition in deep space. Ben’s team, CU-E³, University of Colorado in Boulder, will compete against Cislunar Explorers, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., and Team Miles, Fluid & Reason, LLC, Tampa, Fla.

“With this big 2nd place finish, my summer is about to get really busy!” Ben said. He explained he is the project manager for the CU-E3, a small 6U (19.5”x10.5”x19.5”) satellite that the team is building on behalf of The University of Colorado. The team is building a system to demonstrate deep space communication using a student designed feedhorn/reflectarray (a high gain antenna) and a custom designed transmitter circuit board. This type of technology could enable NASA to send more small satellites into deep space, which has not been done yet due to the complexity and rarity of deep space missions.

“This payload will be launching on NASA's new rocket, the Space Launch System, sometime in 2019,” Ben said. “We currently have a prototype model that we've built, but are working on finalizing everything and building a complete flight ready version.”  

Ben is a 2013 graduate of Clarkson University with a mechanical engineering degree where he completed ROTC training and was commissioned into the Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant and is now a Captain.

After Clarkson, Ben moved to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and worked with the 4th Space Launch Squadron providing mission assurance, technical oversight, and risk assessment for the Atlas V and Delta IV launch rockets.

“What a great job!” Ben said. “My office overlooked the ocean, and I was able to get out surfing quite a bit before and after work. I was just steps away from the rockets also, and many of my days involved working with contractors out on the launch pad to build and integrate the hardware!”

Ben explained that Vandenberg is on the central coast of California, just north of Santa Barbara, and is probably one of the “best places” he’s ever lived—“beaches and waves are some of the best in the country, it was in the middle of wine country, and I loved the job!”

In 2016, after Vandenberg, Ben was accepted into an Air Force program and is now earning a master’s degree at his choice school: The University of Colorado Boulder, a public research university located in Boulder, where he’s studying mechanical engineering and product design.

Still in the Air Force, Ben plans to work in a research lab when he graduates in May 2018.  

“Other than that, I've been finding plenty of time to ski in the Rockies, bike a lot, and enjoy the mile high city,” Ben said. “I'm trying to figure out a way to ski 12 months out of the year, and I think it's very plausible. I just may have to hike for some snow!”

For now, we wish Ben and the CU-E3 team the best of luck!

 

To read more about Ben’s NASA honor, click here:
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/three-diy-cubesats-score-rides-on-nasa-s-first-flight-of-orion-space-launch-system