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CubeSat orbit

Information about CubeSat​

CubeSat — is a standardized format of the Earth’s small artificial satellite for space exploration having dimensions 10x10x10 sm with weight about 1,33 kg (1U). Creation of CubeSats was made possible because by developing microelectronics (picture 1).

CubeSat 1U

Picture 1. Cubesats produced by SPUTNIX

The standard for the format was created in 1999 by California Polytechnic State University (San Luis Obispo) and the Stanford University Space Systems Development Laboratory in order to facilitate access to space technologies and space exploration for students and students.

There are several ways to put satellites into orbit:

  • "Ejected by astronauts or cosmonauts" during a session of extravehicular activity from the International Space Station (picture 2);

    Launch of satellites by cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev

    Picture 2. Launch of satellites by cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev

  • from special containers, placed as pick-up baggage at the launch vehicle (picture 3).

    CubeSat in special containers

    Picture 3. CubeSat in special containers

CubeSat’s orbits have a height 400-550 km.

You can find the NORAD ID of the cubesat in the software Gpredict. Click on Searching satellites for AR visualization

Visualization of CubeSat orbit in AR​

Open the application and choose “Satellites and their orbits” mode.

If you will enter the NORAD ID 47960, the system will automatically define the satellite’s name “ORBICRAFT-ZORKIY” and will build the model and the orbit of CubeSat. (picture 4):

Adding CubeSat in the app

Picture 4. Adding CubeSat in the app

You can see the CubeSat 6U model on the picture 5:

Model of the CubeSat 6U

Picture 5. Model of the CubeSat 6U

Green circles under the satellite shows his field of visibility. When the sattelite is flying over the ground station, the label of the station gets green (imitation of receiving telemetry of the satellite) (picture 6):

OrbiCraft-Zorky satellite orbit

Picture 6. OrbiCraft-Zorky satellite orbit

Timestamp shows when the satellite will fly to the certain point in the orbit.