A local schoolboy’s out-of-this-world climate initiative is out to prove the younger generation can make a difference
An out-of-this-world climate initiative, founded by a local schoolboy, is out to prove the younger generation can make a difference.
Richard Fu, a Year 12 student from Sutton Grammar School, founded the project after learning about satellites in school, and wanting to do something about the climate crisis.
The project, named Helios, involves pupils from both Sutton Grammar and Tiffin School. It aims to launch a small, cube-shaped satellite called a CubeSat into space to study global heat patterns.
“Launching a CubeSat into space seemed like an ambitious idea, and I liked it,” said Fu.
Helios, which now has more than 30 members, plans to measure heat patterns in 18 major cities around the world, including London, Paris, Mumbai and Jakarta. The data collected will then be used to help inform responses to extreme heat, a dire consequence of global warming.
If successful, Helios will be the youngest self-organised team to send a satellite into space in European history.
Credit: Helios
Fu, 17, said the idea grew out of his earlier experience with space science. “When I was in Year 10, I led the first team in my school to participate in the CanSat competition run by the European Space Agency, and we got to the national finals,” he said.
That ambition has since grown into a complex, student-run operation covering engineering, fundraising, outreach and data analysis. The team is currently working towards raising around £500,000 and is in the process of registering as a government-approved charity. Donations from school alumni are expected to form a key part of the funding, alongside a planned fundraising gala.
Helios is also receiving technical guidance from the European Space Agency and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, and is working with the Greater London Authority’s Heat Risk Plan to ensure its data has real-world impact.
“The staff have been blown away by the scale of the Cubesat project,” said Sutton Grammar School Head of Year 12, Oliver Green. “The sky is the limit for Richard.”
Credit: Helios
Young people are increasingly pessimistic about the potential for climate action, according to a World Economic Forum report from last year. But students like Fu believe projects like this can help re-engage the younger generations who feel overwhelmed by the scale of the climate crisis.
“Young people still definitely care about the climate more than any generation,” he said. “They just need inspiration.”
The report found that while Gen Z were the generation most likely to want to implement behavioural changes to help our planet, they are also the most likely to feel that their efforts will not make a difference.
“If we don’t fight to tackle the climate crisis, nobody else will,” he added. “We need to stand up for ourselves if we want anything to change.”
