Session
Technical Session XI: Science/Mission Payloads I
Abstract
These are amazing times of space and Earth science discovery related to the Earth system, our Sun, the planets, and the universe. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) provides CubeSats as a component part of the NASA’s science and technology programs to conduct important scientific and technology investigations, while also providing crucial hands-on training opportunities for students to participate in research. SMD, working with NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), the Human Exploration Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), and its Centers in a coordinated and comprehensive fashion is actively advancing the vision for CubeSats as cost effective and capable tools for research. Recently proposed and selected SMD CubeSat flight projects are showing that CubeSats are working to address essential science goals, and will open up opportunities for researchers in developing and validating cutting-edge space technologies. The use of these small, cost effective and capable research platforms are part of a growing trend in SMD for pursuing space and Earth science. The paper will present the status of current CubeSat activities that SMD is sponsoring and expects to fly in the near future, as well as results studies of CubeSats as platforms for obtaining high priority science data, and platform capabilities that will have a high impact on science and technology return.
An Overview of the NASA/Science Mission Directorate CubeSat Activities
These are amazing times of space and Earth science discovery related to the Earth system, our Sun, the planets, and the universe. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) provides CubeSats as a component part of the NASA’s science and technology programs to conduct important scientific and technology investigations, while also providing crucial hands-on training opportunities for students to participate in research. SMD, working with NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), the Human Exploration Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), and its Centers in a coordinated and comprehensive fashion is actively advancing the vision for CubeSats as cost effective and capable tools for research. Recently proposed and selected SMD CubeSat flight projects are showing that CubeSats are working to address essential science goals, and will open up opportunities for researchers in developing and validating cutting-edge space technologies. The use of these small, cost effective and capable research platforms are part of a growing trend in SMD for pursuing space and Earth science. The paper will present the status of current CubeSat activities that SMD is sponsoring and expects to fly in the near future, as well as results studies of CubeSats as platforms for obtaining high priority science data, and platform capabilities that will have a high impact on science and technology return.
