Low-cost satellite powered by AA batteries tackles space junk.

A team of engineering students from Brown University built a satellite called SBUDNIC on a shoestring budget using off-the-shelf supplies available at most hardware stores. The satellite is powered by 48 Energizer AA batteries and a $20 microprocessor popular with robot hobbyists. The satellite has a 3D-printed drag sail made from Kapton polyimide film that helps push the satellite back down to Earth sooner, reducing the amount of space debris. The total cost of the student-designed cube satellite was about $10,000.