Shin'en, initially named UNITEC-1, represented a remarkable endeavour by Japanese students. This Cubesat satellite was designed for a Venus flyby, with a focus on understanding how interplanetary spaceflight affects spacecraft computers. Managed by UNISEC, a consortium of Japanese universities, Shin'en aimed to achieve the distinction of being the first student-built spacecraft to journey beyond Earth's orbit. Its launch took place on May 20, 2010, but regrettably, communication with the satellite was lost shortly afterward. Despite this setback, Shin'en continues to inspire as a symbol of the potential inherent in student-led space exploration and the unwavering pursuit of cosmic knowledge.
