Kentucky in space.

WHAT'S JUST 10 CENTIMETERS CUBED AND represents the pride of the Bluegrass State?

KentuckySatellite, or KentuckySat, an itsy-bitsy satellite that is emerging out of a major joint effort between Kentucky universities and agencies. Institutions behind the satellite include the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, Morehead State University, and the University of Kentucky, among others.

The KentuckySat project took off this summer when seven students traveled to NASA Ames Research Center in California to work on designing the satellite.

The students will bring an engineering model back to Kentucky this fall, when additional students and experts will begin building a flight model. The satellite's principal ground control will be located at Morehead State.

Other universities have launched satellites before, but KentuckySat represents the first statewide effort, according to Kris Kimel, president of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, managing partner of the project. The goal, he says, is to "engage in a series of design and launch efforts hopefully every 12 to 15 months, so that a new group of students will continually have an opportunity to engage in this."

Once KentuckySat heads out to space in 2007 (likely on the back of a missile with its warhead removed) any educational institution in Kentucky will have access to its data and photos. Then, from a piece of equipment no larger than a piece of fruit will emerge larger lessons on satellites and telemetry.--C.M.F.