Miniaturization of Satellites: The Rise of CubeSats

Satellites have become a vital part of space technology. But could these satellites have tiny versions of themselves? Is it possible to miniaturize them? CubeSats are the name for these mini satellites.

CubeSats

They are small satellites with an average size of about 10 centimetres they resemble a large Rubik’s Cube. Designed for budget-friendly space research, they offer educational, technological, and scientific opportunities. The small size of these satellites helps them fit easily into launch vehicles. CubeSats enable international participation in space exploration and research.

Average Sizes of CubeSats

At first, there was just one size for these mini-satellites. Later on, more sizes of these satellites developed as the demand increased.

The initial size was 10x10x11.4 cm which was termed 1U (1 unit).

Variations like 0.5U, 2U and 3U were introduced. They represent the multiples of 10.

Advantages of CubeSats

1. Their small size cuts down the cost of many things, making them cost-effective thus space agencies can produce more and more of them.
2. They offer universities, research institutions, and even private companies the opportunity to participate in space missions and conduct experiments in orbit. They act as useful educational tools, providing a wonderful experience for students interested in space engineering and science.
3. The main function of CubeSats is to test components in the space environment and showcase new technologies. This is easier as they are miniaturized versions of standard satellites without changing the original technology.
4. They ride into space as secondary payloads on larger rockets, as they are in orbit, they collect data, snap pictures of Earth, and beam messages back to keen scientists and students on the ground.
5. They are sent to space in constellations, where multiple satellites work together to achieve their goals. Constellations of cubesats provide an international range of applications such as Earth observation, communications, and weather monitoring. Distributed networks of cubesats offer stability, assuring continued functions even if individual satellites fail.
6.  While most cubesats orbit Earth, some have explored past our planet. Interplanetary CubeSat missions, such as NASA’s MarCO (Mars Cube One) mission, have shown the convenience of using small satellites for deep space exploration. Cubesats act as helpers of larger spacecraft, they help in communications, imaging, and scientific measurements.

Conclusion

CubeSats are small satellites, sized around 10 centimetres, resembling a Rubik’s Cube. They offer cost-effective opportunities for space research, education, and technological advancements. Introduced with a 1 unit size, variations like 0.5U, 2U, and 3U were created to meet demand. CubeSats allow international participation in space exploration, sending data, images, and messages to Earth while assisting in scientific research.

There is one issue about CubeSat concerning people over the globe, how is it possible to handle the space debris related to these nanosatellites? The amount of them being deployed into space is a lot, but what happens when they stop working?

Stay tuned to find out the answer to all these questions in the following article!

“Small satellites, big dreams.”

~ Nanette Calder, Director of NASA’s Small Satellite Program