My time at UCSD wasn't just about textbooks and exams. I was lucky to be part of SEDS; a student organization full of the most brilliant and passionate space technology enthusiasts I've ever met. We competed against other prestigious teams - including MIT and Cornell - to develop the best engineered cube satellite for NASA. The grand prize? A secondary payload spot on the inaugural mission of NASA's Orion spacecraft, launching atop the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. We didn't just dream; we built. Armed with calculations and simulations, we crafted X-band and S-band antennas, meticulously testing them in the hushed silence of an anechoic chamber. We collaborated as a team to design and integrate all communications hardware, software, and protocols within a cube satellite to ensure proper communication links with ground stations. Our dedication shone through. We presented our meticulously designed spacecraft and mission plans to NASA judges, earning a well-deserved spot among the top five teams of GT-3 and securing a $30,000 grant. But the true reward was the experience itself: the thrill of collaboration, the joy of innovation, and the shared dream of reaching for the stars.