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98-509: In 1999, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) professor Jordi Puig-Suari and Bob Twiggs , a professor at Stanford University Space Systems Development Laboratory, developed the CubeSat specifications to promote and develop the skills necessary for the design, manufacture, and testing of small satellites intended for low Earth orbit (LEO) that perform scientific research and explore new space technologies. Academia accounted for

196-533: A catalyst , or bipropellant which combusts an oxidizer and a fuel . The benefits of monopropellants are relatively low-complexity/high-thrust output, low power requirements, and high reliability. Monopropellant motors tend to have high thrust while remaining comparatively simple, which also provides high reliability. These motors are practical for CubeSats due to their low power requirements and because their simplicity allows them to be very small. Small hydrazine fueled motors have been developed, but may require

294-456: A thermal vacuum chamber before launch. Such testing provides a larger degree of assurance than full-sized satellites can receive, since CubeSats are small enough to fit inside of a thermal vacuum chamber in their entirety. Temperature sensors are typically placed on different CubeSat components so that action may be taken to avoid dangerous temperature ranges, such as reorienting the craft in order to avoid or introduce direct thermal radiation to

392-831: A 14.6% acceptance rate. As of 2024, Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo has been ranked the best public master's-level university in the Western United States for 30 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report . Regional universities offer a full range of undergraduate programs and some master's programs, but few doctoral programs. U.S. News & World Report (2025) PayScale Best Value Colleges Ranked by ROI (2025) - 36th out of 1,978 Money Best Colleges for Your Money (2024) - 5 out of 5 star - Awarded America's Best Colleges. DesignIntelligence: America's Best Architecture & Design Schools: Cal Poly's on-campus student housing, totaling 6,239 spaces,

490-483: A 7× boost in range—potentially able to reach the Moon—but questions linger concerning survivability after micrometeor impacts. JPL has successfully developed X-band and Ka-band high-gain antennas for MarCO and Radar in a CubeSat ( RaInCube ) missions. Traditionally, Low Earth Orbit Cubesats use antennas for communication purpose at UHF and S-band. To venture farther in the solar system, larger antennas compatible with

588-745: A CubeSat is deployed, due to asymmetric deployment forces and bumping with other CubeSats. Some CubeSats operate normally while tumbling, but those that require pointing in a certain direction or cannot operate safely while spinning, must be detumbled. Systems that perform attitude determination and control include reaction wheels , magnetorquers , thrusters, star trackers , Sun sensors , Earth sensors, angular rate sensors , and GPS receivers and antennas . Combinations of these systems are typically seen in order to take each method's advantages and mitigate their shortcomings. Reaction wheels are commonly utilized for their ability to impart relatively large moments for any given energy input, but reaction wheel's utility

686-471: A Folded Panel Reflectarray (FPR) to fit on a 6U CubeSat bus and supports X-band Mars-to-Earth telecommunications at 8 kbit/s at 1AU. Different CubeSat components possess different acceptable temperature ranges, beyond which they may become temporarily or permanently inoperable. Satellites in orbit are heated by radiative heat emitted from the Sun directly and reflected off Earth, as well as heat generated by

784-473: A Soyuz rocket VS14 launched from Kourou, French Guiana. The satellites were: AAUSAT4 (Aalborg University, Denmark), e-st@r-II (Politecnico di Torino, Italy) and OUFTI-1 (Université de Liège, Belgium). The CubeSats were launched in the framework of the "Fly Your Satellite!" programme of the European Space Agency. On February 15, 2017, Indian Space Research Organisation ( ISRO ) set a record with

882-429: A café, community room, game room, mail room, welcome center, offices, and maintenance shop. Additional site improvements provide a large open space for activities and group events, volleyball and basketball courts, and outdoor gathering areas. The Warren J. Baker Center for Science and Mathematics was dedicated on November 1, 2013. This $ 119 million, six-story building replaced the aging “spider” Science Building 52 with

980-573: A cargo of Kounotori 3 , and an ISS astronaut prepared the deployment mechanism attached to Japanese Experiment Module 's robotic arm. Four CubeSats were deployed from the Cygnus Mass Simulator , which was launched April 21, 2013 on the maiden flight of Orbital Sciences' Antares rocket . Three of them are 1U PhoneSats built by NASA's Ames Research Center to demonstrate the use of smart phones as avionics in CubeSats. The fourth

1078-418: A challenge. Many CubeSats use an omnidirectional monopole or dipole antenna built with commercial measuring tape. For more demanding needs, some companies offer high-gain antennae for CubeSats, but their deployment and pointing systems are significantly more complex. For example, MIT and JPL are developing an inflatable dish antenna based on a mylar skin inflated with a sublimating powder , claiming

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1176-538: A coil to take advantage of Earth's magnetic field to produce a turning moment . Attitude-control modules and solar panels typically feature built-in magnetorquers. For CubeSats that only need to detumble, no attitude determination method beyond an angular rate sensor or electronic gyroscope is necessary. Pointing in a specific direction is necessary for Earth observation, orbital maneuvers, maximizing solar power, and some scientific instruments. Directional pointing accuracy can be achieved by sensing Earth and its horizon,

1274-449: A constellation of over one hundred 0.25U CubeSats for IoT communication services. Since nearly all CubeSats are 10 cm × 10 cm (3.9 in × 3.9 in) (regardless of length) they can all be launched and deployed using a common deployment system called a Poly-PicoSatellite Orbital Deployer (P-POD), developed and built by Cal Poly. No electronics form factors or communications protocols are specified or required by

1372-476: A limited surface area on their external walls for solar cells assembly, and has to be effectively shared with other parts, such as antennas, optical sensors, camera lens, propulsion systems, and access ports. Lithium-ion batteries feature high energy-to-mass ratios, making them well suited to use on mass-restricted spacecraft. Battery charging and discharging is typically handled by a dedicated electrical power system (EPS). Batteries sometimes feature heaters to prevent

1470-608: A new 189,000-square-foot structure. It includes laboratories, classrooms, offices for the physics, chemistry, and soil science programs, and spaces for the Western Coatings Technologies Center and the Environmental Biotechnology Institute. The center also features Centennial Park, a landscaped central green area. Campus parking is limited, with 2,892 general-purpose parking spaces, 3,492 dorm resident spaces, and

1568-632: A perennial Rose Parade Float design program, LGBTQ+ and Multicultural groups, competitive and social athletic teams, and academic honors clubs. Notable engineering clubs include Prove Lab, PolySat, CubeSat , and QL+. Cal Poly fields 21 varsity sports (10 for men and 11 for women) and competes in NCAA Division I . It is a member of the Big West Conference , except for football, wrestling, women's indoor track & field and both swimming and diving teams. The football team competes in

1666-413: A practical satellite". The picosatellites on OPAL were 10.1 cm × 7.6 cm × 2.5 cm (4 in × 3 in × 1 in), a size that was not conducive to covering all sides of the spacecraft with solar cells. Inspired by a 4 in (10 cm) cubic plastic box used to display Beanie Babies in stores, Twiggs first settled on the larger ten-centimeter cube as a guideline for

1764-513: A senior project idea. The campus area known as ‘Architecture Graveyard’ hosts many senior projects, including experimental and unconventional structures. Enrolled Fall Freshman Statistics Cal Poly's admissions process is described as “more selective” according to U.S. News & World Report . For the class entering 2019, 15,366 freshmen were accepted out of 54,072 applicants, a 28.4% acceptance rate, with 4,613 enrolling. In 2018, students had an average GPA of 4.00; The average SAT score

1862-490: A small-factor satellite became apparent in 1998 as a result of work done at Stanford University's Space System Development Laboratory. At SSDL, students had been working on the OPAL (Orbiting Picosatellite Automatic Launcher) microsatellite since 1995. OPAL's mission to deploy daughter-ship " picosatellites " had resulted in the development of a launcher system that was "hopelessly complicated" and could only be made to work "most of

1960-439: A specific part, thereby allowing it to cool or heat. CubeSat forms a cost-effective independent means of getting a payload into orbit. After delays from low-cost launchers such as Interorbital Systems , launch prices have been about $ 100,000 per unit, but newer operators are offering lower pricing. A typical price to launch a 1U cubesat with a full service contract (including end-to-end integration, licensing, transportation etc.)

2058-422: A substantially larger area on-orbit. Recent innovations include additional spring-loaded solar arrays that deploy as soon as the satellite is released, as well as arrays that feature thermal knife mechanisms that would deploy the panels when commanded. CubeSats may not be powered between launch and deployment, and must feature a remove-before-flight pin which cuts all power to prevent operation during loading into

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2156-452: A total area of 32 m (340 sq ft). This test will allow a full checkout of the satellite's systems in advance of the main 2016 mission. On October 5, 2015, AAUSAT5 (Aalborg University, Denmark), was deployed from the ISS. launched in the framework of the "Fly Your Satellite!" programme of the European Space Agency. The Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer CubeSat is a 3U launched to

2254-1031: A total of 8,648 parking spaces. The Facilities Master Plan acknowledges that, despite adding more parking spots, the ratio of parking to students will decrease due to expected enrollment growth. To address this, the plan emphasizes reducing demand for individual vehicle parking by constructing additional dorms and enhancing campus life. Cal Poly Commuter and Access Services has successfully promoted alternatives to single occupancy vehicles, with bus use more than doubling and bicycle use nearly quadrupling from 2002 to 2012. As of 2024, there are over 7,000 bike rack spaces and 252 secure bike lockers on campus. In 2019, approximately 57% of students and 33% of faculty/staff lived within five miles of campus, facilitating easy bike commutes. The city's SLO Transit bus system provides service to and from campus. Cal Poly supports SLO Transit with funding from parking citation revenue, allowing faculty, staff, and students to ride for free. The SLO Regional Transit Authority provides bus service throughout

2352-1300: A waiver to fly due to restrictions on hazardous chemicals set forth in the CubeSat Design Specification. Safer chemical propellants which would not require hazardous chemical waivers are being developed, such as AF-M315 ( hydroxylammonium nitrate ) for which motors are being or have been designed. A "Water Electrolysis Thruster" is technically a chemical propulsion system, as it burns hydrogen and oxygen which it generates by on-orbit electrolysis of water . CubeSat electric propulsion typically uses electric energy to accelerate propellant to high speed, which results in high specific impulse . Many of these technologies can be made small enough for use in nanosatellites, and several methods are in development. Types of electric propulsion currently being designed for use in CubeSats include Hall-effect thrusters , ion thrusters , pulsed plasma thrusters , electrospray thrusters , and resistojets . Several notable CubeSat missions plan to use electric propulsion, such as NASA's Lunar IceCube . The high efficiency associated with electric propulsion could allow CubeSats to propel themselves to Mars. Electric propulsion systems are disadvantaged in their use of power, which requires

2450-672: Is 1U, consisting of a single unit, while the most common form factor was the 3U, which comprised over 40% of all nanosatellites launched to date. Larger form factors, such as the 6U and 12U, are composed of 3Us stacked side by side. In 2014, two 6U Perseus-M CubeSats were launched for maritime surveillance, the largest yet at the time. The Mars Cube One (MarCO) mission in 2018 launched two 6U cubesats towards Mars. Smaller, non-standard form factors also exist; The Aerospace Corporation has constructed and launched two smaller form CubeSats of 0.5U for radiation measurement and technological demonstration, while Swarm Technologies has built and deployed

2548-558: Is a public university in San Luis Obispo, California , United States. Founded in 1901, It is the oldest of three polytechnic universities within the California State University system. Cal Poly emphasizes a “learn by doing” philosophy, integrating hands-on, practical experiences into its curriculum. As of Fall 2022, Cal Poly had approximately 21,000 undergraduate and 800 graduate students. Cal Poly

2646-665: Is a 501(c)(3) nnonprofit corporation owned and operated by Cal Poly student leaders, with an annual operating budget exceeding $ 12 million. ASI provides co-curricular experiences, including events, speakers, concerts, intramural sports, fitness programs, aquatics, outdoor adventure trips, craft center courses, club services, and child development programs. ASI manages the University Union, Recreation Center, Sports Complex, and Children's Center, totaling over 450,000 square feet of campus facilities. Alumni Association: Engages and serves alumni, fostering lifelong connections between

2744-461: Is a volunteer-based orientation program for new students during the first week after move-in each September. It aims to introduce students to the campus and community and prepare them for a successful college career. Freshmen are placed in groups of 10–12, while transfer students are grouped in sizes of 40–60, each led by two current student orientation leaders. WOW groups participate in various orientation events and activities on and off campus. In 2010,

2842-448: Is important for precision maneuvers such as rendezvous . CubeSats which require longer life also benefit from propulsion systems; when used for orbit keeping a propulsion system can slow orbital decay . A cold gas thruster typically stores inert gas , such as nitrogen , in a pressurized tank and releases the gas through a nozzle to produce thrust. Operation is handled by just a single valve in most systems, which makes cold gas

2940-426: Is limited and designers choose higher efficiency systems with only minor increases in complexity. Cold gas systems more often see use in CubeSat attitude control. Chemical propulsion systems use a chemical reaction to produce a high-pressure, high-temperature gas that accelerates out of a nozzle . Chemical propellant can be liquid, solid or a hybrid of both. Liquid propellants can be a monopropellant passed through

3038-691: Is limited due to saturation, the point at which a wheel cannot spin faster. Examples of CubeSat reaction wheels include the Maryland Aerospace MAI-101 and the Sinclair Interplanetary RW-0.03-4. Reaction wheels can be desaturated with the use of thrusters or magnetorquers. Thrusters can provide large moments by imparting a couple on the spacecraft but inefficiencies in small propulsion systems cause thrusters to run out of fuel rapidly. Commonly found on nearly all CubeSats are magnetorquers which run electricity through

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3136-457: Is put into material selection as not all materials can be used in vacuums . Structures often feature soft dampers at each end, typically made of rubber, to lessen the effects of impacting other CubeSats in the P-POD. Protrusions beyond the maximum dimensions are allowed by the standard specification, to a maximum of 6.5 mm (0.26 in) beyond each side. Any protrusions may not interfere with

3234-418: Is similar to an electrodynamic tether in that the craft only needs to supply electricity to operate. Solar sails  (also called light sails or photon sails) are a form of spacecraft propulsion using the  radiation pressure  (also called solar pressure) from stars to push large ultra-thin mirrors to high speeds, requiring no propellant. Force from a solar sail scales with

3332-657: Is the largest student housing program in the CSU system. In Fall 2015, 35.9% of undergraduates lived in 28 dorms, and 98.7% of first-time freshmen lived on campus. Additionally, 28.7% of sophomores lived on campus. There are five distinct groups of residence halls: North Mountain Halls, Red-Brick Halls, Sierra Madre and Yosemite Halls, Cerro Vista Apartments, Poly Canyon Village, and Yakʔitʸutʸu residence halls Greek organizations have been present at Cal Poly since 1949, with numerous fraternities and sororities. The Week of Welcome (WOW)

3430-626: Is well-regarded for its undergraduate programs, having been ranked 1st among Regional Universities in the Western US in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings. The university is home to several nationally recognized programs, particularly in engineering, architecture, and business, with the College of Engineering and the Orfalea College of Business standing out for their academic excellence and industry connections. Most of

3528-738: The Big Sky Conference ; the wrestling team is part of the Pac-12 Conference ; indoor track & field is independent; and swimming and diving compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . Prior to joining Division I in 1994, Cal Poly won 35 NCAA NCAA Division II national team championships and competed in the California Collegiate Athletic Association . The university has two mascots: Musty

3626-543: The Deep Space Network (X-band and Ka-band) are required. JPL 's engineers developed several deployable high-gain antennas compatible with 6U-class CubeSats for MarCO and Near-Earth Asteroid Scout . JPL's engineers have also developed a 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) mesh reflector antenna operating at Ka-band and compatible with the DSN that folds in a 1.5U stowage volume. For MarCO, JPL's antenna engineers designed

3724-523: The International Organization for Standardization . This standard defines specifications for CubeSats including their physical, mechanical, electrical, and operational requirements. It also provides a specification for the interface between the CubeSat and its launch vehicle, which lists the capabilities required to survive the environmental conditions during and after launch and describes the standard deployment interface used to release

3822-712: The International Space Station on 6 December 2015 from where it was deployed on 16 May 2016. It is the first mission launched in the NASA Science Mission Directorate CubeSat Integration Panel, which is focused on doing science with CubeSats. As of 12 July 2016, the minimum mission success criterion (one month of science observations) has been met, but the spacecraft continues to perform nominally and observations continue. Three CubeSats were launched on April 25, 2016, together with Sentinel-1B on

3920-550: The Lares satellite aboard a Vega rocket launched from French Guiana. The CubeSats launched were e-st@r Space (Politecnico di Torino, Italy), Goliat (University of Bucharest, Romania), MaSat-1 (Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary), PW-Sat (Warsaw University of Technology, Poland), Robusta (University of Montpellier 2, France), UniCubeSat-GG (University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy), and XaTcobeo (University of Vigo and INTA, Spain). The CubeSats were launched in

4018-796: The CSU system recommended integrating Cal Maritime with Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. Cal Poly has one of the largest college campuses in the United States, covering 9,178 acres and making it the second-largest land-holding university in California. The property includes the main campus, two agricultural lands, and two sites in Santa Cruz County . The Swanton Pacific Ranch , a 3,200-acre ranch in Santa Cruz County, provides educational and research opportunities, encompassing rangeland, livestock, and forestry operations for

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4116-624: The College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences. It supports Cal Poly's “Learn by Doing” philosophy with an emphasis on sustainable agricultural practices and laboratory experiments. University House serves as the university president's residence. In the summer of 2018, a dormitory-style student community was completed at the corner of Slack Street and Grand Avenue. This development includes seven 3- to 5-story concrete-framed freshman residence hall buildings with 1,475 beds and an adjacent four-level parking structure. Community spaces feature

4214-550: The CubeSat reference design in 1999 with the aim of enabling graduate students to design, build, test and operate in space a spacecraft with capabilities similar to that of the first spacecraft, Sputnik . The CubeSat, as initially proposed, did not set out to become a standard; rather, it became a standard over time by a process of emergence . The first CubeSats launched in June 2003 on a Russian Eurockot , and approximately 75 CubeSats had entered orbit by 2012. The need for such

4312-480: The CubeSat Design Specification (CDS) requires a waiver for pressurization above 1.2 atm (120 kPa), over 100 Wh of stored chemical energy, and hazardous materials. Those restrictions pose great challenges for CubeSat propulsion systems, as typical space propulsion systems utilize combinations of high pressures, high energy densities, and hazardous materials. Beyond the restrictions set forth by launch service providers , various technical challenges further reduce

4410-518: The CubeSat Design Specification, as it does not require high pressures, hazardous materials, or significant chemical energy. A small number of CubeSats have employed a solar sail as its main propulsion and stability in deep space, including the 3U NanoSail-D2 launched in 2010, and the LightSail-1 in May 2015. LightSail-2 successfully deployed on a Falcon Heavy rocket in 2019, while one CubeSat that

4508-406: The CubeSat Design Specification, but COTS hardware has consistently used certain features which many treat as standards in CubeSat electronics. Most COTS and custom designed electronics fit the form of PC/104 , which was not designed for CubeSats but presents a 90 mm × 96 mm (3.5 in × 3.8 in) profile that allows most of the spacecraft's volume to be occupied. Technically,

4606-507: The CubeSat to have larger solar cells, more complicated power distribution, and often larger batteries. Furthermore, many electric propulsion methods may still require pressurized tanks to store propellant, which is restricted by the CubeSat Design Specification. The ESTCube-1 used an electric solar-wind sail , which relies on an electromagnetic field to act as a sail instead of a solid material. This technology used an electric field to deflect protons from solar wind to produce thrust. It

4704-413: The CubeSat. The cylindrical space has a maximum diameter of 6.4 cm (2.5 in) and a height no greater than 3.6 cm (1.4 in) while not allowing for any increase in mass beyond the 3U's maximum of 4 kg (8.8 lb). Propulsion systems and antennas are the most common components that might require the additional volume, though the payload sometimes extends into this volume. Deviations from

4802-812: The D-1 open level, ranked as high as No. 5 and reaching their first national final in 2024 while winning the team spirit award. The Battle for the Golden Horseshoe is an annual rivalry college football game between the UC Davis Aggies and the Cal Poly Mustangs. The Mustang Marching Band , with over 200 members, performs at football, basketball, and volleyball games. Cal Poly is administratively organized into four divisions: Cal Poly Partners : A public-benefit nonprofit corporation providing commercial, fiscal, and support services to promote

4900-584: The D-1 open level. The Mustangs have been one of the top teams over the past decade, ranked as high as No. 5, and reached their first national final in 2024 while winning the team spirit award. Cal Poly offers various non-varsity (club) sports. The Mustangs play college rugby in the California Conference of Division 1-A, often ranked in the Top 25 nationwide, with the rugby sevens team ranked as high as No. 7. SLOCORE represents Cal Poly in ultimate at

4998-509: The ISS on February 11, 2014. Of those thirty-three, twenty-eight were part of the Flock-1 constellation of Earth-imaging CubeSats. Of the other five, two are from other US-based companies, two from Lithuania, and one from Peru. The LightSail-1 is a 3U CubeSat prototype propelled by a solar sail . It was launched on 20 May 2015 from Florida. Its four sails are made of very thin Mylar and have

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5096-461: The Mustang and Chase, a live mustang named after Margaret Chase, the university's second president. Cal Poly also offers various non-varsity (club) sports. The Mustangs play college rugby in the California Conference of Division 1-A . The Mustangs are often ranked in the Top 25 nationwide, and their rugby sevens team has been ranked as high as No. 7. SLOCORE represents Cal Poly in ultimate at

5194-481: The NASA "MEPSI" nanosatellite, which is slightly larger than a CubeSat. GeneSat-1 was NASA's first fully automated, self-contained biological spaceflight experiment on a satellite of its size. It was also the first U.S.-launched CubeSat. This work, led by John Hines at NASA Ames Research, became the catalyst for the entire NASA CubeSat program. In 2017, this standardization effort led to the publication of ISO 17770:2017 by

5292-515: The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS). The CubeSats were: SMDC-ONE 2.2 (Baker), SMDC-ONE 2.1 (Able), AeroCube 4.0(x3), Aeneas, CSSWE , CP5, CXBN , CINEMA, and Re (STARE). Five CubeSats ( Raiko , Niwaka , We-Wish , TechEdSat , F-1 ) were placed into orbit from the International Space Station on October 4, 2012, as a technology demonstration of small satellite deployment from the ISS. They were launched and delivered to ISS as

5390-464: The P-POD remain structurally sound throughout the launch. Despite rarely undergoing the analysis that larger satellites do, CubeSats rarely fail due to mechanical issues. Like larger satellites, CubeSats often feature multiple computers handling different tasks in parallel including the attitude control (orientation), power management, payload operation, and primary control tasks. COTS attitude-control systems typically include their own computer, as do

5488-473: The P-POD. Additionally, a deployment switch is actuated while the craft is loaded into a P-POD, cutting power to the spacecraft and is deactivated after exiting the P-POD. The low cost of CubeSats has enabled unprecedented access to space for smaller institutions and organizations but, for most CubeSat forms, the range and available power is limited to about 2 W for its communications antennae. Because of tumbling and low power range, radio-communications are

5586-550: The PCI-104 form is the variant of PC/104 used and the actual pinout used does not reflect the pinout specified in the PCI-104 standard. Stackthrough connectors on the boards allow for simple assembly and electrical interfacing and most manufacturers of CubeSat electronics hardware hold to the same signal arrangement, but some products do not, so care must be taken to ensure consistent signal and power arrangements to prevent damage. Care must be taken in electronics selection to ensure

5684-455: The Sun, or specific stars. Sinclair Interplanetary's SS-411 Sun sensor and ST-16 star tracker both have applications for CubeSats and have flight heritage. Pumpkin's Colony I Bus uses an aerodynamic wing for passive attitude stabilization. Determination of a CubeSat's location can be done through the use of on-board GPS, which is relatively expensive for a CubeSat, or by relaying radar tracking data to

5782-408: The battery from reaching dangerously low temperatures which might cause battery and mission failure. The rate at which the batteries decay depends on the number of cycles for which they are charged and discharged, as well as the depth of each discharge: the greater the average depth of discharge, the faster a battery degrades. For LEO missions, the number of cycles of discharge can be expected to be on

5880-499: The battery. Other spacecraft thermal control techniques in small satellites include specific component placement based on expected thermal output of those components and, rarely, deployed thermal devices such as louvers . Analysis and simulation of the spacecraft's thermal model is an important determining factor in applying thermal management components and techniques. CubeSats with special thermal concerns, often associated with certain deployment mechanisms and payloads, may be tested in

5978-570: The cost of a larger satellite. Scientific experiments with unproven underlying theory may also find themselves aboard CubeSats because their low cost can justify higher risks. Biological research payloads have been flown on several missions, with more planned. Several missions to the Moon and beyond are planning to use CubeSats. The first CubeSats in deep space were flown in the MarCO mission, where two CubeSats were launched towards Mars in May 2018 alongside

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6076-775: The county, with discounted passes available to the Cal Poly community. As of 2020, the university offers 65 bachelor's degrees , 39 master's degrees , 84 minors and 13 credentials in six colleges: All undergraduate students are required to complete a senior project, a capstone experience integrating theory and application from their undergraduate studies. Projects may include design or construction experiences, experiments, self-guided studies or research projects, presentations, reports based on internships or co-ops, public portfolio displays, or performances. These projects often lead to job offers or recognition. Notable examples include Punchd, acquired by Google , and Jamba Juice , inspired by

6174-431: The craft from Earth-based tracking systems. CubeSat propulsion has made rapid advancements in: cold gas , chemical propulsion , electric propulsion , and solar sails . The biggest challenge with CubeSat propulsion is preventing risk to the launch vehicle and its primary payload while still providing significant capability. Components and methods that are commonly used in larger satellites are disallowed or limited, and

6272-433: The craft's components. CubeSats must also cool by radiating heat either into space or into the cooler Earth's surface, if it is cooler than the spacecraft. All of these radiative heat sources and sinks are rather constant and very predictable, so long as the CubeSat's orbit and eclipse time are known. Components used to ensure the temperature requirements are met in CubeSats include multi-layer insulation and heaters for

6370-483: The deployment rails and are typically occupied by antennas and solar panels. In Revision 13 of the CubeSat Design Specification an extra available volume was defined for use on 3U projects. The additional volume is made possible by space typically wasted in the P-POD Mk III's spring mechanism. 3U CubeSats which utilize the space are designated 3U+ and may place components in a cylindrical volume centered on one end of

6468-707: The devices can tolerate the radiation present. For very low Earth orbits (LEO) in which atmospheric reentry would occur in just days or weeks, radiation can largely be ignored and standard consumer grade electronics may be used. Consumer electronic devices can survive LEO radiation for that time as the chance of a single event upset (SEU) is very low. Spacecraft in a sustained low Earth orbit lasting months or years are at risk and only fly hardware designed for and tested in irradiated environments. Missions beyond low Earth orbit or which would remain in low Earth orbit for many years must use radiation-hardened devices. Further considerations are made for operation in high vacuum due to

6566-424: The dimension and mass requirements can be waived following application and negotiation with the launch service provider . CubeSat structures do not have all the same strength concerns as larger satellites do, as they have the added benefit of the deployer supporting them structurally during launch. Still, some CubeSats will undergo vibration analysis or structural analysis to ensure that components unsupported by

6664-682: The earliest CubeSat launches was on 30 June 2003 from Plesetsk, Russia, with Eurockot Launch Services 's Multiple Orbit Mission . The CubeSats were injected into a Sun-synchronous orbit and included the Danish AAU CubeSat and DTUSat, the Japanese XI-IV and CUTE-1, the Canadian Can X-1, and the US Quakesat . On February 13, 2012, three P-POD deployers containing seven CubeSats were placed into orbit along with

6762-793: The educational mission of Cal Poly and the CSU system. Founded in 1940, it was known as the Cal Poly Foundation until 2006 and Cal Poly Corporation until 2024. Cal Poly Foundation: An auxiliary organization and IRC 501(c)(3) public charity that accepts and administers tax-deductible gifts to the university. It leads campus philanthropic activity by supporting fundraising and managing campus endowments. Cal Poly Extended Education: Provides degree, certificate, and professional development programs to residents of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Monterey Counties, and through distance learning technologies to students nationwide. Associated Students Inc : The Associated Students Inc. (ASI)

6860-453: The effects of sublimation , outgassing , and metal whiskers , which may result in mission failure. The number of joined units classifies the size of CubeSats and according to the CubeSat Design Specification are scalable along only one axis to fit the forms of 0.5U, 1U, 1.5U, 2U, or 3U. All the standard sizes of CubeSat have been built and launched, and represent the form factors for nearly all launched CubeSats as of 2015. Materials used in

6958-431: The framework of the "Vega Maiden Flight" opportunity of the European Space Agency. On September 13, 2012, eleven CubeSats were launched from eight P-PODs, as part of the "OutSat" secondary payload aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. This was the largest number of CubeSats (and largest volume of 24U) orbited on a single launch so far, made possible by the new NPS CubeSat Launcher system ( NPSCuL ) developed at

7056-489: The high radiation of space, such as the use of ECC RAM . Some satellites may incorporate redundancy by implementing multiple primary computers; this could be done on valuable missions to lessen the risk of mission failure. Consumer smartphones have been used for computing in some CubeSats, such as NASA's PhoneSats . Attitude control (orientation) for CubeSats relies on miniaturizing technology without significant performance degradation. Tumbling typically occurs as soon as

7154-719: The launch of 104 satellites on a single rocket. The launch of PSLV-C37 in a single payload, including the Cartosat-2 series and 103 co-passenger satellites, together weighed over 650 kg (1,430 lb). Of the 104 satellites, all but three were CubeSats. Of the 101 nano satellites, 96 were from the United States and one each from Israel, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. California Polytechnic State University California Polytechnic State University ( Cal Poly )

7252-483: The majority of CubeSat launches until 2013, when more than half of launches were for non-academic purposes, and by 2014 most newly deployed CubeSats were for commercial or amateur projects. Functions typically involve experiments that can be miniaturized or serve purposes such as Earth observation or amateur radio . CubeSats are employed to demonstrate spacecraft technologies intended for small satellites or that present questionable feasibility and are unlikely to justify

7350-527: The new CubeSat concept. A model of a launcher was developed for the new satellite using the same pusher-plate concept that had been used in the modified OPAL launcher. Twiggs presented the idea to Puig-Suari in the summer of 1999 and then at the Japan–U.S. Science, Technology and Space Applications Program (JUSTSAP) conference in November 1999. The term "CubeSat" was coined to denote nanosatellites that adhere to

7448-494: The order of several hundred. Due to size and weight constraints, common CubeSats flying in LEO with body-mounted solar panels have generated less than 10 W. Missions with higher power requirements can make use of attitude control to ensure the solar panels remain in their most effective orientation toward the Sun, and further power needs can be met through the addition and orientation of deployable solar arrays, which can be unfolded to

7546-418: The power management systems. Payloads must be able to interface with the primary computer to be useful, which sometimes requires the use of another small computer. This may be due to limitations in the primary computer's ability to control the payload with limited communication protocols, to prevent overloading the primary computer with raw data handling, or to ensure payload's operation continues uninterrupted by

7644-776: The program's awareness section won the National Orientation Directors Association (NODAC) Media & Publications Showcase Award for Emerging Technologies, developed entirely by student volunteers. Started in 1956, WOW is now the largest volunteer orientation program in the nation. The Cal Poly Recreation Center is the on-campus student recreation center. Cal Poly hosts over 150 recognized clubs and independent student organizations, including cultural clubs, mathematics and science clubs, improv and sketch comedy clubs, religious and atheistic groups, service organizations, engineering research and development clubs, professional development organizations,

7742-776: The rest of the launch vehicle and payloads. Encapsulation of the launcher– payload interface takes away the amount of work that would previously be required for mating a piggyback satellite with its launcher. Unification among payloads and launchers enables quick exchanges of payloads and utilization of launch opportunities on short notice. Standard CubeSats are made up of 10 cm × 10 cm × 11.35 cm (3.94 in × 3.94 in × 4.47 in) units designed to provide 10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm (3.9 in × 3.9 in × 3.9 in) or 1 L (0.22 imp gal; 0.26 US gal) of useful volume, with each unit weighing no more than 2 kg (4.4 lb). The smallest standard size

7840-419: The sail's area, this makes sails well suited for use in CubeSats as their small mass results in the greater acceleration for a given solar sail's area. However, solar sails still need to be quite large compared to the satellite, which means useful solar sails must be deployed, adding mechanical complexity and a potential source of failure. This propulsion method is the only one not plagued with restrictions set by

7938-477: The satellites. The development of standards shared by a large number of spacecraft contributes to a significant reduction in the development time and cost of CubeSat missions. The CubeSat specification accomplishes several high-level goals. The main reason for miniaturizing satellites is to reduce the cost of deployment: they are often suitable for launch in multiples, using the excess capacity of larger launch vehicles. The CubeSat design specifically minimizes risk to

8036-657: The school was renamed California State Polytechnic College to better reflect its expanding higher education offerings. A Master of Arts degree in education was added in 1949. In 1938, Charles and Jerry Voorhis donated a farm and school to the Cal Poly. In 1949, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation gifted an 812-acre horse ranch in Pomona, California . Originally a satellite campus for Cal Poly, the Pomona campus became an independent university, Cal Poly Pomona , in 1966. In 1960, control of Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and other state colleges

8134-532: The simplest useful propulsion technology. Cold gas propulsion systems can be very safe since the gases used do not have to be volatile or corrosive , though some systems opt to feature dangerous gases such as sulfur dioxide . This ability to use inert gases is highly advantageous to CubeSats as they are usually restricted from hazardous materials. Only low performance can be achieved with them, preventing high impulse maneuvers even in low mass CubeSats. Due to this low performance, their use in CubeSats for main propulsion

8232-560: The spacecraft's other computing needs such as communication. Still, the primary computer may be used for payload related tasks, which might include image processing , data analysis , and data compression . Tasks which the primary computer typically handles include the delegation of tasks to the other computers, attitude control, calculations for orbital maneuvers , scheduling , and activation of active thermal control components. CubeSat computers are highly susceptible to radiation and builders will take special steps to ensure proper operation in

8330-646: The standards described in the CubeSat design specification. Cal Poly published the standard in an effort led by aerospace engineering professor Jordi Puig-Suari. Bob Twiggs , of the Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics at Stanford University, and currently a member of the space science faculty at Morehead State University in Kentucky, has contributed to the CubeSat community. His efforts have focused on CubeSats from educational institutions. The specification does not apply to other cube-like nanosatellites such as

8428-420: The structure must feature the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the deployer to prevent jamming. Specifically, allowed materials are four aluminum alloys: 7075 , 6061 , 5005 , and 5052 . Aluminum used on the structure which contacts the P-POD must be anodized to prevent cold welding , and other materials may be used for the structure if a waiver is obtained. Beyond cold welding, further consideration

8526-428: The successful InSight mission. Some CubeSats have become countries' first-ever satellites , launched either by universities, state-owned, or private companies. The searchable Nanosatellite and CubeSat Database lists over 4,000 CubeSats that have been or are planned to be launched since 1998. Professors Jordi Puig-Suari of California Polytechnic State University and Bob Twiggs of Stanford University proposed

8624-414: The time". With the project's delays mounting, Twiggs sought DARPA funding that resulted in the redesign of the launching mechanism into a simple pusher-plate concept with the satellites held in place by a spring-loaded door. Desiring to shorten the development cycle experienced on OPAL and inspired by the picosatellites OPAL carried, Twiggs set out to find "how much could you reduce the size and still have

8722-589: The total student population. In 1924, Cal Poly came under the control of the California State Board of Education . During the Great Depression , financial constraints led to discussions about converting Cal Poly into a state prison. In 1933, the institution transitioned to a two-year technological and vocational school. By 1940, it began offering Bachelor of Arts degrees, with the first baccalaureate ceremony held in 1942. In 1947,

8820-615: The university and its alumni, and supporting the university's mission. The association includes 15 regional and special interest chapters. List of notable alumni of Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo Cal Poly has more than 150,000 alumni, with the majority located in San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara and Los Angeles counties. 35°18′15″N 120°39′46″W  /  35.30417°N 120.66278°W  / 35.30417; -120.66278 Miniaturized satellite#Nanosatellite Too Many Requests If you report this error to

8918-764: The university's athletic teams participate in the Big West Conference . Cal Poly was founded in 1901 as the California Polytechnic School, following the signing of the California Polytechnic School Bill by Governor Henry Gage . The school began classes on October 1, 1903, with 20 students enrolled, offering three-year secondary-level courses. Originally coeducational , the school enrolled 16 male and 4 female students. In 1929, California Governor C.C. Young prohibited women from attending. Women were readmitted in 1956. By Fall 2023, female students constituted 50.1% of

9016-445: The usefulness of CubeSat propulsion. Gimbaled thrust cannot be used in small engines due to the complexity of gimbaling mechanisms, thrust vectoring must instead be achieved by thrusting asymmetrically in multiple-nozzle propulsion systems or by changing the center of mass relative to the CubeSat's geometry with actuated components. Small motors may also not have room for throttling methods that allow smaller than fully on thrust, which

9114-507: Was 1329 and average ACT score was 29. Women constituted 50.5% of the incoming freshmen class, and men 49.5%. Cal Poly requires students to declare a major upon applying, then admits the most competitive applicants for each major. Each major has a change of major plan, requiring certain classes and GPA (usually between 2.5 and 2.75). In some cases, students wishing to change majors transfer to other universities. For Fall 2019 Cal Poly accepted 1,622 of 11,109 applicants as transfer students,

9212-535: Was a 3U satellite, called Dove-1, built by Planet Labs . On April 26, 2013 NEE-01 Pegaso was launched and was the first CubeSat able to transmit live video from orbit, also the first 1U CubeSat to achieve more than 100 watts of power as installed capacity. Later in November same year NEE-02 Krysaor also transmitted live video from orbit. Both CubeSats were built by the Ecuadorian Space Agency . A total of thirty-three CubeSats were deployed from

9310-437: Was about $ 60,000 in 2021. Some CubeSats have complicated components or instruments, such as LightSail-1 , that push their construction cost into the millions of dollars, but a basic 1U CubeSat can cost about $ 50,000 to construct. This makes CubeSats a viable option for some schools, universities, and small businesses. The Nanosatellite & Cubesat Database lists over 2,000 CubeSats that have been launched since 1998. One of

9408-522: Was launched as a senior project. In 1971, the California State Legislature officially renamed the institution California Polytechnic State University . Since the 1970s, the university has seen steady enrollment growth and significant campus expansion. On May 3, 2017, Cal Poly received a $ 110 million gift from alumni William L. and Linda Frost, one of the largest donations ever made to public education in California. In 2024,

9506-622: Was planned to launch on the Space Launch System 's first flight ( Artemis 1 ) in November 2022 was set to use a solar sail: the Near-Earth Asteroid Scout (NEA Scout). The CubeSat was declared lost when communications were not established within 2 days. CubeSats use solar cells to convert solar light to electricity that is then stored in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that provide power during eclipse as well as during peak load times. These satellites have

9604-508: Was transferred to the newly formed CSU system. That same year, a plane crash killed 22 of the 48 people on board, including 16 Cal Poly football players. Authorized to offer Master of Science degrees in 1967, Cal Poly reorganized its curriculum from 1967 to 1970 into specialized schools: the School of Science and Math, the School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the School of Architecture. In 1968, Cal Poly's FM radio station, KCPR ,

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