RainCube (Radar in a CubeSat) is a 6U CubeSat mission between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems (Tyvak). The objective of the mission is to develop, launch, and operate a 35.75 GHz nadirpointing precipitation profiling radar payload to validate a new architecture for Ka-band radars and an ultra-compact deployable Ka-band antenna design in the space environment. RainCube will also demonstrate the feasibility of a radar payload on a CubeSat platform. The radar payload is the evolution of two previous JPL research and development technologies – the miniaturized Ka-band atmospheric radar (miniKaAR) and the 0.5m diameter Ka-band parabolic deployable antenna (KaPDA). JPL has contracted Tyvak to develop the spacecraft bus, integrate the payload, and operate the spacecraft. RainCube is currently in integration and test with an expected ready-for-delivery in September 2017.
RainCube, a Ka-band Precipitation Radar in a 6U CubeSat
2017-09-12
Preprint
No indication
English
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