James Wall

Stanford Student Space Initiative

The Stanford Student Space Initiative (Stanford SSI) is Stanford's largest project-based student group, with more than 100 dues-paying members, split into six project teams: Balloons, Rockets, Satellites, Biology, Operations, and Policy. We are a completely student-run organization founded in 2013 with the mission of giving future leaders of the space industry the hands-on experience and broader insight they need to realize the next era of space development. We're the gathering place for people who want to act on their interests in space. Since 2013, we've flown a zero gravity experiment with NASA, built multiple CubeSats, inspired 60 teams in 20 countries to launch high altitude balloons, certified dozens of students for high-powered rocketry, hosted more than 100 speakers at talks and conferences, been featured in media like Popular Science and USA Today, led a student-initiated class (AA47SI, Why Go to Space), demonstrated bidirectional laser communication, and developed ultra long duration latex balloon technology that has set a world record. SSI is dedicated to achieving both short- and long-term goals. In the next year, we launch a new biology team, fly a high-altitude balloon to Europe, and build a small optical communications satellite. In the future we will send the first university-built rocket to space, continue development of novel satellite technologies, demonstrate DNA synthesis in microgravity, and continue to organize speaker events and workshops for the student body with top industry leaders.