When most 13‑year‑olds are content with video games and school projects, Bhutanese‑born student Pema Tsho Sakhu is busy engineering a scientific payload destined for low‑Earth orbit. Now living in Perth and attending Balcatta Senior High School, she has become one of the youngest members of Curtin University’s pioneering BinarX programme, working alongside seasoned researchers, engineers and educators.
Under the guidance of planetary scientist Professor Phil Bland and coordinator Meg Berry, Pema is helping to design and build a miniaturised satellite—known as a CubeSat—measuring just 10 cm on each side. Slated for launch by the end of the year, the CubeSat will circle the globe, collecting data on Earth’s space environment and testing samples in microgravity conditions.
“Once it is launched into Earth’s orbit, we will be tracking and downloading the data captured by the CubeSat,” Pema explained. “To see our year‑long work orbiting Earth feels just like a dream.”
Pema’s passion for space science was ignited last year, when she stayed up until midnight with her family to witness the launch attempts of Binar‑2, Binar‑3 and Binar‑4 aboard a SpaceX rocket. Though the initial launch was postponed, the experience only deepened her resolve—and she later helped send the command to JAXA to deploy a set of satellites from the International Space Station.
Professor Bland praises Pema’s technical prowess and boundless enthusiasm. “She has navigated complex milestones—like the Mission Concept Review and Preliminary Design Review—with remarkable confidence,” he said. “Her dedication to spacecraft science and operations is truly inspiring.”
In recognition of her talent, Pema was awarded a full scholarship by the Fogarty Foundation—in partnership with Curtin—to design, build and launch her own model rocket. The hands‑on project involved everything from electronic circuitry and software programming to the final liftoff, which left her family cheering as the rocket roared skyward on a plume of smoke.
Adjusting to life halfway around the world has not been without its challenges. Pema and her family relocated to Perth on June 6, 2022, when her mother pursued a master’s degree. Yet Pema credits her progress to the Bhutanese concept of kencho‑sum, the blessings of His Majesty the King’s youth‑empowerment vision, and her parents’ unwavering support.
“Despite all the hardships, my learning journey has been progressing well,” she reflected.
Her father, Suraj Pradhan, beams with pride as he watches his daughter collaborate with distinguished scientists—and even former NASA professionals. “She’s not just reading about satellites in textbooks; she’s actually designing one,” he said. “When her model rocket lifted off, time stood still for all of us.”
As Pema Tsho Sakhu finalises the payload that will soon soar above our heads, she remains grounded in her ambition: to unlock the secrets of space and inspire the next generation of explorers. For this young scientist, the sky is not the limit—it’s just the beginning.
