SFL Student Places Second at #SmallSat2024
![small sat 2024 winners](https://www.utias-sfl.net/wp-content/uploads/studentWinnersSmallSat2024.webp)
Congratulations to Alexandre Florio, an SFL MASc student, who won the 2nd Place Award in the international student competition at this year’s Small Satellite Conference in Logan, Utah. Alexandre’s paper, “Low-Cost Hold-Down and Release Mechanism for Small Satellite Deployable Solar Wings” was among several dozen submitted from students at universities around the world. Judges selected six finalists from which Alexandre was awarded the $7500 second prize.
The annual conference hosted by Utah State University is the world’s largest dedicated to small satellite technology and missions. Alexandre continues a long tradition of SFL students finishing in the top six of the paper competition. In previous years, SFL students Robert Magner, Robin Aucoin, Atilla Saadar, and others have scored first place wins.
Also in this year’s competition, former SFL student Brent Brakeboer served as advisor to a student from Queen’s University who earned Honorable Mention.
In the photo, Alexandre is second from right. Photo courtesy of the Small Satellite Conference 2024.