Building a functioning satellite is considered a mark of an advanced nation, but according to an Adelaide space engineer, Australia has not built one since the mid 1990s.

"That was the Fedsat," University of Adelaide's Doctor Matt Tetlow said.

"It was a while ago now. I think from memory it was about 1997. Satellite building is something I think we've dropped the ball on a bit."

In the 50th anniversary year of science fiction series Star Trek, it is appropriate Dr Tetlow and his students are boldly going where no Australians have gone for a while.

They are returning Australia to the satellite-building business.

Fifth-year engineering students Patrick Philbey, Jade Chantrell and Hayden Bignell were all toddlers when Fedsat was built.

Not many Australians, least of all those in their 20s, could boast they have helped design, build and test a satellite's orientation systems.

"Our group's been responsible for the control system," Mr Philbey said.

"That's how the satellite orients itself in orbit and it's also how the instruments can actually conduct the experiments and measure data."

'Nano satellites are where space is heading'

Matt Tetlow says the satellite was much smaller than people expected. ( ABC News: Simon Royal )

Ms Chantrell hopes the work will help kick Australia out of its space slumber and into something like warp-drive.

"I think there's great opportunity for Australia to jump on board and progress their aerospace sector a lot more," Ms Chantrell said.

The satellite looks nothing like most people might imagine: it is more the size of a lunchbox than something destined for a launch pad.

Dr Tetlow said it had everything found in a full-sized version despite its diminutive dimensions.

"Nano satellites are where space is heading. This is the new way things are being done," he said.

"It has a thermal system to make sure it doesn't get too hot or too cold.

"It has a communication system to get all your data up and down. It has an onboard computer to handle the telemetry and all the data going forward and it has two scientific experiments.

"Basically, it's got all the parts of any other satellite."

Satellites no longer as big as a fridge

The Adelaide University satellite is part of a worldwide venture called QB50.

Another two nano satellites are being built in Sydney by the Australian National University, Sydney University and the University of New South Wales.

Each one will have varying tasks, but Dr Tetlow said they were all geared to give an unprecedented insight into the upper atmosphere.

"The first day that it operates it will collect more data than has been collected in history to date," Dr Tetlow said.

The satellite built by Adelaide University. ( ABC News: Simon Royal )

"So every day we'll be doubling our understanding of where the various parts of the atmosphere are and how they affect climate modelling."

The nano satellites will do that at a fraction of the full-sized version's price tag.

"You would never have been able to do this with fridge-sized satellites," Dr Tetlow said

"It would cost more than $1 billion, so for this relatively measly investment of, I think, about 11 million euros, we are getting this astonishing leap forward in understanding."

The students built their own Helmholtz cage that generates a magnetic field, which was used to test the control systems.

Mr Bignell said pine dowling and plastic piping were used, but the biggest task was winding the cabling.

"There's about 80 metres of internet cabling in each of these coils," Mr Bignell said. "I helped a friend of mine make that. I'm pretty sure the frame was just made in his garage."

Mr Philbey said it showed you could reach the stars on a shoe string

"You don't need a massive investment to do quite interesting science. You can do quite a lot with a little."

The launch date is planned for 30 December most likely aboard an Antares rocket in Florida.