Containerized satellites require a minimum of two hardware interlocks to prevent power-up during launch — aka separation switches. The Omron D2F series is a popular choice, and one of the few COTS options available.

Silicon solar cells are often written off as not "space grade." Somebody forgot to tell SpaceX, who uses them on Starlink — the biggest satellite constellation in history. Silicon cells are nearing 26–27% efficiency for under $1/W, and in LEO, radiation exposure is minimal.

Rockets aren't the only path to orbit. With demand for space access at an all-time high, alternatives are gaining traction — Starfighters Inc. plans to deliver picosats to LEO/VLEO using surplus F-104 fighter jets.

A lesser-known benefit of running multiple GNSS antennas, beyond redundancy, is lower power draw: GPS can acquire the minimum number of satellites needed for a fix faster with more antennas feeding it.

Believe it or not, the sequence you torque your fasteners in makes a real difference — especially once you're working with 0.1 mm tolerances.

1U and 2U CubeSats need separation spring plungers, since several may be stacked in a single deployer. 3U and 6U buses skip this requirement and often pick up extra "tuna can" volume instead.

If you're working on nanosatellites, chances are you've read Cal Poly's CubeSat Design Specification. It doesn't mention this, but chamfers are commonly used instead of fillets — they're far easier to CNC and serve the same function. Question your constraints.

For students: run collaborative systems-engineering meetings where mission options get discussed and constraints get defined out loud. The constraints will keep changing — but knowing what they were, and why, is what keeps a team engaged.

On canceling magnetic moments: your shielding doesn't need to be pure, just a high percentage. Conformal coating mostly negates the issue on its own, and lead also happens to have good fatigue properties if you go that route.