February 27, 2013

Image Caption: Artist's concept of the Interplanetary NanoSpacecraft Pathfinder In Relevant Environment (INSPIRE) CubeSat project. The dual INSPIRE CubeSats, the world's first CubeSats to be launched beyond Earth orbit, will demonstrate functionality, communication, navigation and payload hosting in interplanetary space. INSPIRE is a NASA JPL partnership with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; and the University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with Goldstone-Apple Valley Radio Telescope. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

NASA

NASA has selected 24 small satellites to fly as auxiliary payloads aboard rockets planned to launch in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The proposed CubeSats come from universities across the country, a Florida high school, several non-profit organizations and NASA field centers.

CubeSats belong to a class of research spacecraft called nanosatellites. The cube-shaped satellites measure about 4 inches on each side, have a volume of about 1 quart, and weigh less than 3 pounds.

The selections are from the fourth round of the CubeSat Launch Initiative. After launch, the satellites will conduct technology demonstrations, educational research or science missions. The selected CubeSats will be eligible for flight after final negotiations and an opportunity for flight becomes available.

The following organizations submitted winning satellite proposals:

The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, Calif. The Discovery Museum and Planetarium, Bridgeport, Conn. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Ariz. Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky., in partnership with the University of California at Berkeley Montana State University, Bozeman (2 CubeSats) in partnership with The University of New Hampshire, Durham Merritt Island High School, Florida, in partnership with California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo NASAs Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. (3 CubeSats) NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., in partnership with the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (3 CubeSats) NASAs Kennedy Space Center, Florida Pennsylvania State University, in partnership with the Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, Calif., and the Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, Calif. Saint Louis University, St. Louis Tyvak Nano-Satellites Systems, Irvine, Calif., in partnership with the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo University at Buffalo, The State University of New York University of Colorado, Boulder University of Florida, Gainesville, in partnership with Stanford University University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Texas, Austin Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., in partnership with the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, Silver Spring, Md.

In the three previous rounds of the CubeSat initiative, NASA has selected 63 missions for flight. The agencys Launch Services Program Educational Launch of Nanosatellite (ELaNa) Program has launched 12 CubeSat missions. This year, 22 CubeSat missions are scheduled for flight.

For additional information on NASAs CubeSat Launch Initiative program, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/nXOuPI

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Fourth Round Of CubeSat Space Mission Candidates Announced By NASA