Session
Weekend Session 2: Recent Launches - Research & Academia
Location
Utah State University, Logan, UT
Abstract
The past few years of space mission development have seen an increase in the use of small satellites as platforms for dedicated astrophysical research; they offer unique capabilities for time-domain science and complementary advantages over large shared resource facilities like the Hubble Space Telescope, including: (1) low cost and relatively quick development timelines; (2) observing strategies dedicated to niche but important science questions; and (3) ample opportunity for students and early career scientists and engineers to be involved on the front lines of space mission development. The Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment (CUTE) is a NASA-supported 6U CubeSat assembled and tested at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics within the University of Colorado Boulder. It is designed to observe the evolving atmospheres on short-period exoplanets with a dedicated science mission unachievable by current and planned future space missions. CUTE operates with a bandpass of ∼2487 – 3376 Å and an average spectral resolution element of 3.9 Å. The mission launched in September of 2021 and is in the process of conducting transit spectroscopy of approximately one dozen short-period exoplanets during its primary mission. This proceeding describes the overall CUTE satellite program, including the mission development integration and testing, anticipated science return, and lessons learned to improve both universities’ and commercial companies’ ability to create and collaborate on successful academically and research-focused small satellite missions. While CubeSats are becoming increasingly accessible and utilized for scientific research and student education, CUTE serves as an example that university small satellite programs have specific needs to successfully and efficiently achieve both scientific and educational elements. These include (1) a minimum threshold of commercial-off-the-shelf product quality, performance, and support; (2) specific and timely guidelines from launch service providers regarding launch readiness and delivery requirements; (3) and sufficient funding to provide multi-disciplinary engineering and program management support across the developmental life-cycle of the mission.
The Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment: The First Dedicated Ultraviolet Exoplanet Mission
Utah State University, Logan, UT
The past few years of space mission development have seen an increase in the use of small satellites as platforms for dedicated astrophysical research; they offer unique capabilities for time-domain science and complementary advantages over large shared resource facilities like the Hubble Space Telescope, including: (1) low cost and relatively quick development timelines; (2) observing strategies dedicated to niche but important science questions; and (3) ample opportunity for students and early career scientists and engineers to be involved on the front lines of space mission development. The Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment (CUTE) is a NASA-supported 6U CubeSat assembled and tested at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics within the University of Colorado Boulder. It is designed to observe the evolving atmospheres on short-period exoplanets with a dedicated science mission unachievable by current and planned future space missions. CUTE operates with a bandpass of ∼2487 – 3376 Å and an average spectral resolution element of 3.9 Å. The mission launched in September of 2021 and is in the process of conducting transit spectroscopy of approximately one dozen short-period exoplanets during its primary mission. This proceeding describes the overall CUTE satellite program, including the mission development integration and testing, anticipated science return, and lessons learned to improve both universities’ and commercial companies’ ability to create and collaborate on successful academically and research-focused small satellite missions. While CubeSats are becoming increasingly accessible and utilized for scientific research and student education, CUTE serves as an example that university small satellite programs have specific needs to successfully and efficiently achieve both scientific and educational elements. These include (1) a minimum threshold of commercial-off-the-shelf product quality, performance, and support; (2) specific and timely guidelines from launch service providers regarding launch readiness and delivery requirements; (3) and sufficient funding to provide multi-disciplinary engineering and program management support across the developmental life-cycle of the mission.
