LINCOLN, Neb. — A team of Nebraska middle and high school students, mentored by University of Nebraska–Lincoln undergraduate engineering students, will have their satellite placed into Earth's orbit, according to UNL.

NASA announced the project is one of 14 research satellites from nine states, and the first ever from Nebraska, to be included in an upcoming launch in the next several years.

On April 24, the Nebraska Big Red Satellite Team will launch its first high-altitude balloon as precursor to the NASA initiative.