This image is an artist concept of a CubeSat in space. CubeSats are tiny, fully-functional satellites. Image credit: Clyde Space
The proposed CubeSats come from a high school in Virginia, universities across the country, NASA field centers and Department of Defense organizations. CubeSats are a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The cube-shaped satellites are approximately four inches long, have a volume of about one quart and weigh 2.2 pounds or less. The selections are from the second round of the CubeSat Launch Initiative. The satellites are expected to conduct technology demonstrations, educational or science research missions. The selected spacecraft are eligible for flight after final negotiations when an opportunity arises. The satellites come from the following organizations, which include the first high school proposal selected for a CubeSat flight:
- Air Force Research Lab, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
- Drexel University, Philadelphia
- NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. (two CubeSats)
- NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. (IPEX: Intelligent Payload Experiment, and LMRSat)
- Naval Research Lab, Washington (two CubeSats)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky.
- The Planetary Society, Pasadena, in partnership with NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
- Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, Ala.
- St. Louis University, St. Louis, Mo.
- Thomas Jefferson High School, Alexandria, Va.
- University of Colorado
- University of Hawaii
- University of Louisiana, Lafayette
- University of New Mexico
- U.S. Military Academy
- U.S. Naval Academy
