National Aeronautics and

 Space Administration

CubeSat101

Basic Concepts and Processes for

First-Time CubeSat Developers

NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

For Public Release – Revision Dated October 2017

CubeSat101

Basic Concepts and Processes for

First-Time CubeSat Developers

NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

For Public Release – Revision Dated October 2017
ii CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

Produced under contract by the

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) CubeSat Systems Engineer Lab

Acknowledgements

This guide was produced by the following to support NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative:

Writers and Contributors

California Polytechnic’s PolySat Program,

California Polytechnic State University—

San Luis Obispo

Jamie Chin

Roland Coelho

Justin Foley

Alicia Johnstone

Ryan Nugent

Dave Pignatelli

Savannah Pignatelli

Nikolaus Powell

Jordi Puig-Suari

NASA Launch Services Program

William Atkinson, Kennedy Space Center

Jennifer Dorsey, Kennedy Space Center

Scott Higginbotham, Kennedy Space Center

Maile Krienke, Kennedy Space Center

Kristina Nelson, Kennedy Space Center/ai Solutions

Bradley Poffenberger, Kennedy Space Center

Creg Raffington, Kennedy Space Center

Garrett Skrobot, Kennedy Space Center

Justin Treptow, Kennedy Space Center

Anne Sweet, NASA Headquarters

NASA Advanced Exploration Systems Division

Jason Crusan, NASA Headquarters

Carol Galica, NASA Headquarters/Stellar Solutions

NASA Space Communications and Navigation Division

William Horne, NASA Headquarters Space 

Communications and Navigation Spectrum 

Management

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Charles Norton, Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

Formulation Lead for Small Satellites

NOAA

Alan Robinson, NOAA Commercial Remote Sensing 

Regulatory Affairs Office

Editors and Graphic Designer

Communications Support Services Center

Maxine Aldred, NASA Headquarters/Media Fusion

Andrew Cooke, NASA Headquarters/Media Fusion

Tun Hla, NASA Headquarters/Media Fusion

Michele Ostovar, NASA Headquarters/Media Fusion

Jennifer Way, NASA Headquarters/Media Fusion

For more information visit: http://go.nasa.gov/CubeSat_initiative
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Table of Contents

Pictured above:

NASA mentors and the student launch 

team for StangSat and PolySat go 

through final checks in the CubeSat lab 

facility at Cal Poly. [VAFB/Kathi Peoples]

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

1 Introduction 1

1.1 CubeSats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1.2 CubeSat Dispenser Systems. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

1.2.1 3U Dispensers 5

1.2.2 6U Dispensers 6

1.3 Launch Vehicles (LVs)—aka: Rockets. . . . . . . . . . 6

2 Development Process Overview 9

2.1 Concept Development (1–6 months) . . . . . . . . . 11

2.2 Securing Funding (1–12 months) . . . . . . . . . . . 11

2.3 Merit and Feasibility Reviews (1–2 months). . . . . . .14

2.4 CubeSat Design (1–6 months) . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

2.5 Development and Submittal of Proposal in Response 

to CSLI Call (3–4 months). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

2.6 Selection and Manifesting (1–36 months). . . . . . . .18

2.7 Mission Coordination (9–18 months) . . . . . . . . . 19

2.8 Regulatory Licensing (4–6 months). . . . . . . . . . .20

2.9 Flight-Specific Documentation Development and 

Submittal (10–12 months). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
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2.10 Ground Station Design, Development, and Testing 

(2–12 months). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

2.11 CubeSat Hardware Fabrication and Testing 

(2–12 months). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

2.12 Mission Readiness Reviews (Half-Day) . . . . . . . . 25

2.13 CubeSat-to-Dispenser Integration and Testing (2 days) 26

2.14 Dispenser-to-Launch Vehicle Integration (1 day). . . . .27

2.15 Launch (1 day). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

2.16 Mission Operations (variable, up to 20 years). . . . . .29

ChargerSat-1’s mission was 

developed by students from the 

University of Alabama, Huntsville 

to conduct three technology 

demonstrations: a gravity gradient 

stabilization system will passively 

stabilize the spacecraft; deployable 

solar panels will nearly double the 

power input to the spacecraft; and 

the same deployable solar panels will 

shape the gain pattern of a nadir-facing 

monopole antenna, allowing improved 

horizon-to-horizon communications. 

[University of Alabama, Huntsville]

3 Mission Models 31

3.1 NASA-Procured Launch Vehicle Mission Model. . . . .32

3.2 Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Rideshare 

Mission Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

3.3 National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Rideshare 

Mission Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

3.4 Commercial Launch Service Through a 

Third-Party Broker Mission Model . . . . . . . . . . 37

3.5 International Space Station (ISS) 

Deployment Mission Model. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

4 Requirement Sources for Launch 39

4.1 Mission-Specific Interface Control Documents (ICDs). .40

4.2 Launch Services Program (LSP)—

Program-Level Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

4.3 CubeSat Design Specifications (CDS). . . . . . . . . .40

4.4 Dispenser Standards/Specifications . . . . . . . . . 41

4.5 Federal Statutes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

4.6 Range Safety Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

5 Licensing Procedures 43

5.1 Radio Frequency (RF) Licensing . . . . . . . . . . . 43

5.2 Remote Sensing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
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6 Flight Certification Documentation 53

6.1 Orbital Debris Mitigation Compliance. . . . . . . . . .54

6.2 Transmitter Surveys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

6.3 Materials List. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

6.4 Mass Properties Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

6.5 Battery Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

6.6 Dimensional Verifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

6.7 Electrical Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

6.8 Venting Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

6.9 Testing Procedures/Reports . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

6.9.1 Day In The Life (DITL) Testing 59

6.9.2 Dynamic Environment Testing (Vibration/Shock) 60

6.9.3 Thermal Vacuum Bakeout Testing 62

6.10 Compliance Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

6.11 Safety Package Inputs (e.g., Missile System Prelaunch 

Safety Package, Flight Safety Panel) . . . . . . . . . 64

Appendices 65

A List of Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

B Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

C Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

1. ODAR Inputs 69

2. CubeSat Components ODAR Template 71

3. Transmitter Survey 72

4. Materials List 74

5. Compliance Letter 77

6. CubeSat Acceptance Checklists 79

D Technical Reference Documents for CubeSat 

Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

E Notional Timeline of Events/Deliverables . . . . . . . 85

CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 1

1Introduction

CubeSat 

101

IN THIS CHAPTER

1.1 CubeSats

1.2 CubeSat Dispenser Systems

1.2.1 3U Dispensers

1.2.2 6U Dispensers

1.3 Launch Vehicles (LV),

aka: Rockets

Pictured above:

Launch of NASA’s National Polarorbiting Operational Environmental 

Satellite System (NPOESS) Preparatory 

Project (NPP) mission on Oct. 28, 

2011, which deployed five CubeSats 

as part of the Educational Launch of 

Nanosatellites (ELaNa)-III Mission. [U.S. 

Air Force/Staff Sgt. Andrew Satran]

How do you start a CubeSat project? As popular as CubeSats have become, 

it’s surprising how little information is out there to help someone just entering the field. That’s why this document was created—to lay out everything you 

need to take a great CubeSat idea and make it into an actual spacecraft that is 

launched into orbit. If you’ve been involved in the CubeSat world for a while, this 

guide will be a good reference for anything on which you might need a refresher. 

However, this guide is written for first-time CubeSat developers, and especially 

for CubeSats being developed at educational institutions. So, if this is your first 

foray into CubeSats, you’ll want to read through carefully to get an idea of the 

scope and the amount of work this project will require.

Before we get to the nitty-gritty, let’s start with a little 

background. CubeSats began as a collaborative effort in 

1999 between Jordi Puig-Suari, a professor at California 

Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly), and Bob Twiggs, a 

professor at Stanford University’s Space Systems Development 

Laboratory (SSDL). The original intent of the project was 

to provide affordable access to space for the university science community, and it has successfully done so. Thanks 

to CubeSats, many major universities now have a space 

program. But it’s not just big universities; smaller universities, high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools 

have also been able to start CubeSat programs of their own. 

FIGURE 1 shows university students in their clean room taking 

measurements of a CubeSat they helped to develop. In addition to educational institutions, Government agencies and 

FIGURE 1: University student taking measurements of 

a 2U CubeSat (CP9). [Cal Poly]
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commercial groups around the world have developed CubeSats. They recognized 

that the small, standardized platform of the CubeSat can help reduce the costs 

of technical developments and scientific investigations. This lowered barrier to 

entry has greatly increased access to space, leading to an exponential growth in 

the popularity of CubeSats since their inception. In addition, this world of small, 

affordable spacecraft has gotten more diverse and complicated each year, as more 

and more researchers find utility in these small packages.

This document was created mainly for CubeSat developers who are working 

with NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI), but most chapters also will be 

useful to CubeSat developers launching through other organizations.

CubeSat developer: You’ll 

hear this term a lot in the CubeSat 

world. This is the standard term for 

any person or organization that is 

designing, building, and preparing 

a CubeSat for flight.

What’s CSLI, you ask? CSLI is a NASA initiative that provides opportunities 

for qualified CubeSats to fly as auxiliary payloads on future launches that have 

excess capacity or as deployments from the International Space Station (ISS). In 

very simple terms that means that NASA will cover the cost of providing your 

CubeSat a ride to space in exchange for a report on the results of your CubeSat 

investigation.

Illustration of ELaNa 23 RadSat-G

CubeSat from Montana State 

University in orbit around Earth. 

[Montana State University]

CSLI enables NASA to develop public-private partnerships that provide a lowcost platform for NASA science missions, including planetary exploration, Earth 
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observation, and fundamental Earth and space science. 

These efforts are a cornerstone in the development of cutting-edge NASA enabling technologies including laser 

communications, next generation avionics approaches, 

power generation, distributive sensor systems, satellite-to-satellite communications, and autonomous 

movement. Leveraging these missions for collaboration 

optimizes NASA’s technology investments, fosters open 

innovation, and facilitates technology infusion. CubeSat 

missions are enabling the acceleration of flight-qualified 

technology assistance in raising Technology Readiness 

Levels, which aligns to NASA’s objective of advancing 

the Nation’s capabilities by maturing cross-cutting innovative space technologies. ARMADILLO (Attitude Related 

Maneuvers And Debris Instrument in 

Low (L) Orbit) is a 3U CubeSat under 

development at the University of 

Texas at Austin. [University of Texas 

at Austin]

investigation: This term gets 

used often when talking about 

a CubeSat’s mission. It refers 

to the investigation, scientific or 

otherwise, that your CubeSat will 

be performing. In this context, 

“investigation” is commonly used 

interchangeably with a CubeSat 

“mission.”

About half of all CSLI missions are conducting scientific investigations, most 

frequently Space Weather and Earth Science. Specific science investigation areas 

include: biological science, study of near Earth objects, climate change, snow/ice 

coverage, orbital debris, planetary science, space-based astronomy, and heliophysics. Sixty-six percent of all CSLI missions are conducting technology development or demonstrations. Communications, propulsion, navigation and control, 

and radiation testing lead the topics in this area. Other notable technologies are 

solar sails, additive manufacturing, femtosatellites, and smart phone satellites. 

The low cost of development for a CubeSat allows for conducting higher risk 

activities that would not be possible on large-scale NASA missions.

To be eligible for CSLI, your CubeSat investigation must be of clear benefit to NASA by supporting at least one goal or objective stated in the NASA 

Strategic Plan. This plan can be found on NASA’s Web site (http://www.nasa.

gov). Each year—typically in early August—the CSLI solicits proposals through 

an Announcement of Partnership Opportunity (AoPO) on the Federal Business 

Opportunities Web site (https://sam.gov); proposals are typically due in 

November of that same year.

If you’d like to read more about CSLI, their Web page can be found at http://

go.nasa.gov/CubeSat_initiative.
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1.1 CubeSats

Let’s explain what the “CubeSat” designation means, 

compared to other small satellites. A small satellite is 

generally considered to be any satellite that weighs less 

than 300 kg (1,100 lb). A CubeSat, however, must conform to specific criteria that control factors such as its 

shape, size, and weight.

The very specific standards for CubeSats help reduce 

costs. The standardized aspects of CubeSats make it 

possible for companies to mass-produce components 

and offer off-the-shelf parts. As a result, the engineering and development of CubeSats becomes less costly 

than highly customized small satellites. The standardized shape and size also reduces costs associated with 

transporting them to, and deploying them into, space.

CubeSats come in several sizes, which are based on the 

standard CubeSat “unit”—referred to as a 1U. A 1U 

CubeSat is a 10 cm cube with a mass of approximately 

1 to 1.33 kg. In the years since the CubeSat’s inception, 

1U Standard 

Dimensions:

10 cm × 10 cm × 11 cm

3U Standard 

Dimensions:

10 cm × 10 cm × 34 cm

FIGURE 2: 1U CubeSat CP1 (left)

3U CubeSat CP10 (right) [Cal Poly]

larger sizes have become popular, such as the 1.5U, 2U, 3U, 6U, and 12U. 

Examples of a 1U and 3U are shown in FIGURE 2.

To get a better idea of the design requirements, take a look at the CubeSat Design

Specification (CDS) at http://www.cubesat.org. We’ll explain more about the 

CDS and the documents you will need in the Requirements Sources chapter. For 

now, checking out the CDS at the CubeSat Web site is a great place to start your 

preliminary design planning.

CDS: The CDS is a set of general 

requirements for all CubeSats, 

but is not the official set of 

requirements that you will need to 

follow for your launch.

1.2 CubeSat Dispenser Systems

We’ve described the CubeSat itself, but there’s another important piece of the 

puzzle: the dispenser, which is the interface between the CubeSat and the 

launch vehicle (LV). The dispenser provides attachment to a launch vehicle (or 

rocket), protects the CubeSat during launch, and releases it into space at the 

appropriate time.
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There are a number of different types of dispensers on the market. Each has 

different features, but they are all designed to hold satellites that conform to the 

standard CubeSat form factor. 

form factor: This is a term used 

to describe the size, shape, and/

or component arrangement of a 

particular device. When we use 

it in reference to the standard 

CubeSat, we’re referring to the 

specific size and mass that defines 

a CubeSat.

Chances are you won’t be choosing the dispenser for your CubeSat; that honor 

will go to whoever is footing the bill for the launch costs. It’s still important to 

understand the interface between your CubeSat and the launch vehicle. To that 

end, this chapter will outline the types of dispensers with which you are likely 

to work.

interface: “Interface” is a general 

term that refers to any point 

where two or more components 

are joined together. For instance, 

someone may ask, “How does 

the CubeSat interface with the 

dispenser?” or, “Is there an 

electrical interface between the 

CubeSat and the Dispenser?” 

(These questions mean, “Can I 

electrically connect the CubeSat 

to the dispenser somehow?”)

1.2.1 3U Dispensers

The first dispenser for CubeSats was 

the Poly-Picosatellite Orbital Deployer 

(P-POD). It was developed by Cal Poly, 

San Luis Obispo. The current revision 

of the P-POD is pictured in FIGURE 3. 

It can hold up to three Us of CubeSat 

payload(s) (meaning any combination 

that adds up to three Us, such as three 

1Us, two 1.5Us, one 3U, etc.) and bolts 

directly onto the launch vehicle. When 

it’s time to release the payload, the 

launch vehicle sends an electrical signal 

to the P-POD, which causes the door 

to open and release the CubeSat(s) into 

orbit. Although most dispensers on the market have different designs, they all 

tend to follow the same basic idea of a safe container with a door that opens at the 

launch vehicle’s command, which then ejects the CubeSat into space.

FIGURE 3: Poly-Picosatellite Orbital 

Deployer (P-POD) Developed by Cal 

Poly, San Luis Obispo. [Cal Poly]

payload: In the aerospace 

industry, “payload” is a general 

term used to describe the cargo 

(e.g., a satellite or spacecraft) 

being delivered to space. When 

we’re talking about CubeSat 

dispensers, the payload always 

refers to the CubeSat.

In the beginning, the P-POD may have been the only option for CubeSats, but 

now there are several dispenser choices. The manufacturers and vendors are easy 

to find; just type keywords like “CubeSat dispenser” into your favorite search 

engine and start clicking! Even though you might not have the final say in which 

dispenser you use, you should take some time to understand the different dispensers on the market and the kinds of features that are available before you start 

designing your CubeSat.
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1.2.2 6U Dispensers

After a number of successful launches using the 3U dispenser, 

developers quickly started planning for the next stage of 

CubeSat design: let’s make them bigger! And thus in 2014, the 

6U was born. The form factor of the 6U is essentially the same 

as two 3Us side-by-side, making it twice as wide. You can see 

an example of a 6U CubeSat in FIGURE 4. Multiple companies 

within the industry have developed dispensers to accommodate 

the larger size. And—you guessed it—those companies can be 

found with a simple Internet search. The 6U dispensers’ features vary, but most allow for any CubeSat configuration (e.g., 

one 6U, six 1Us, two 3Us, etc.), and function similarly to the 

3U dispensers.

FIGURE 4: Example of a 6U CubeSat

(Dellingr CubeSat) [NASA]

1.3 Launch Vehicles (LVs)—aka: Rockets

Finally, let’s talk about how the dispenser which contains your CubeSat will get 

into orbit. CSLI contracts with multiple launch services that allow CubeSats to 

hitch a ride. When the CubeSat/dispenser package was first dreamed up, the 

idea was to bolt the dispenser onto the rocket where space was available. That is 

still how most CubeSats make the journey, although there are now other options 

Students Jacob Hambur and 

Trisha Joseph from the University 

of Central Florida constructing the 

Q-PACE CubeSat. [University of

Central Florida]
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available (see FIGURE 5). For example, a CubeSat can be sent with 

the cargo on a resupply mission to the Space Station. The CubeSat 

would be taken aboard the Space Station and released into space in 

a specially designed deployer.

FIGURE 5: This United Launch Alliance (ULA) image shows where on the launch vehicle 

the CubeSats might be located for a typical ULA CubeSat mission. The inset pictures 

show a Naval Postgraduate School Cubesat Launcher Lite (NPSCul-Lite) housing eight 

3U P-PODs and attached to the LV via an Aft Bulkhead Carrier (ABC) plate. [United 

Launch Alliance]

You also may forgo the dispenser altogether, like the Peruvian 

Chasqui 1 did in 2014. During a spacewalk, a cosmonaut released 

Chasqui 1 from the Space Station by tossing it by hand into orbit. 

There’s even a video of this online! FIGURE 6 is a still from that video. 

Keep in mind that although it has been done, this type of release is 

extremely uncommon.

FIGURE 6: Russian cosmonaut preparing to launch 

a 1U CubeSat that he is holding in his hand. [NASA]
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U.S. Launch Vehicles Used for 

CubeSat Launch

Super Strypi

Minotaur I

Minotaur IV

Taurus XL

Delta II

Antares

Falcon 9

Atlas V

Electron*

Falcon 9 Heavy*

LauncherOne*

Space Launch System (SLS)*

* These launch vehicles have not flown CubeSats as of

the writing of this document in 2017, but have included

CubeSats in the manifests of upcoming flights.

58.3 m

17 m

Super StrypiMinotaur ITaurus XLDelta IIAntaresFalcon 9Atlas V

FIGURE 7: U.S. Launch Vehicles Used for CubeSat Launches.

FIGURE 7 shows all of the launch vehicles that have taken CSLI CubeSats to orbit 

as of the writing of this document in 2017, as well as launch vehicles that are 

planning to carry their first set of CubeSats on a future launch. Your CubeSat is 

by no means limited to the launch vehicles included on this list; any rocket could 

be a potential CubeSat launch vehicle given the right circumstances. The launch 

vehicle has to have additional performance margin, be going to your desired 

orbit, and can adapt to having dispensers installed.
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2Development

Process Overview

IN THIS CHAPTER

2.1 Concept Development

2.2 Securing Funding

2.3 Merit and Feasibility Reviews

2.4 CubeSat Design

2.5 Development and Submittal of 

Proposal in Response to CSLI Call

2.6 Selection and Manifesting

2.7 Mission Coordination

2.8 Regulatory Licensing

2.9 Flight Specific Documentation 

Development and Submittal

2.10 Ground Station Design, 

Development, and Testing

2.11 CubeSat Hardware Fabrication 

and Testing

2.12 Mission Readiness Reviews

2.13 CubeSat-to-Dispenser Integration 

and Testing

2.14 Dispenser-to-Launch Vehicle 

Integration

2.15 Launch

2.16 Mission Operations

Pictured above: 

CSUNSat-1 Team (Adam Kaplan, 

James Flynn, Donald Eckels) working on 

their CubeSat. [CSU-Northridge]

This chapter will tell you everything you need to accomplish and provide 

an estimated timeline of how long it may take to get your CubeSat from 

a concept to a functioning satellite in orbit. We may be focusing on what you 

need to do specifically for CSLI, but the process for any CubeSat mission will 

be very similar. The overall timeframe can vary depending on the launch vehicle 

selected and what you are trying to accomplish with your CubeSat. A CubeSat 

can be designed, built, tested, and delivered in as little as 9 months, but typically 

takes 18 to 24 months to complete. Once your CubeSat is ready to be delivered, 

the typical time to launch is anywhere from a few months to a few years. This 

is obviously affected by the availability of launch opportunities, but also by the 

flexibility of your orbital requirements—the more flexible, the easier to manifest 

and therefore, the shorter wait. Launch vehicles will usually require you to deliver 

your finished CubeSat between 4 weeks and 6 months prior to launch; again, 

this depends on the launch vehicle provider and the organization sponsoring 

your launch.

The project phases (and typical timeframes) are as follows:

1. Concept Development (1–6 months)

2. Securing Funding (1–12 months)

3. Merit and Feasibility Reviews (1–2 months)

4. CubeSat Design (1–6 months)

5. Development and Submittal of Proposal in Response to CSLI Call (3–4 months)

mission: This term is a somewhat 

generic, all-encompassing term that 

refers to the enterprise as a whole. 

It’s sometimes used interchangeably with “project” or “investigation” and includes all phases from 

development, testing, integration, to 

launch and operations.

CubeSat 

101
10 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

CubeSat 

101

CHAPTER 2 Development Process Overview

6. Selection and Manifesting (1–36 months)

7. Mission Coordination (9–18 months)

Once this phase begins, a schedule will be provided by the integrator

that will dictate hardware and documentation delivery dates, essentially

providing the completion dates for the subsequent phases.

8. Licensing (4–6 months)

9. Flight-Specific Documentation Development and Submittal (10–12 months)

10. Ground Station Design, Development, and Testing (2–12 months)

11. CubeSat Hardware Fabrication and Testing (2–12 months)

12. Mission Readiness Reviews (half-day)

13. CubeSat to Dispenser Integration and Testing (1 day)

14. Dispenser to Launch Vehicle Integration (1 day)

15. Launch (1 day)

16. Mission Operations (variable, up to 20 years) 

Note: FIGURE 8 and Appendix E provide a notional timeline of events and deliverables. 

It will give you an idea of the timeframes that can overlap if your resources permit.

Funding

Concept Development

Merit/Feasibility Reviews

Develop/Submit Proposal

CSLI Selection Process

Manifesting

Mission Coordination

Licensing

Document Development/

Submission

Ground Station Development 

and Testing

Months

Flight Hardware Fabrication

Readiness Reviews

Dispenser Integration

Launch Vehicle Integration

Launch and Mission Operations

FIGURE 8: This notional timeline shows how these phases might come together for a project.
CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 11

CubeSat 

101

CHAPTER 2 Development Process Overview

2.1 Concept Development (1–6 months)

Okay, first things first: What do you want your CubeSat to do? As we mentioned 

in Chapter 1, it is important to choose a mission goal in which the CSLI, that is, 

NASA, will be interested. You may also consider choosing a concept for which 

it will be easy to find funding. Many CubeSat missions are designed around the 

goals of a sponsor who will cover most of the development costs (more on that in 

Chapter 2.2). For your best chance of being selected by CSLI, check off as many 

“Keys to CSLI Selection” (see the “Free Advice” inset on the right) as you can.

There’s no real time limit to this early concept development phase. Typically, a 

CubeSat developer will take anywhere from 1 to 6 months to plan the goals and 

basic details of the CubeSat concept.

By the way, there’s no need to go it alone. Part of this conceptual development 

time will be spent in search of possible partners and collaborators who may have 

goals similar to your own. This is called strategic partnering, and may provide 

you with extra funding or expertise, or both.

2.2 Securing Funding (1–12 months)

WARNING!

Under CSLI, NASA will cover all costs associated with the launch (up to

$300,000, typically enough to launch a 3U into low-Earth orbit), but CubeSat 

developers selected for a CSLI flight are responsible for any and all 

expenses related to the development and operation of the CubeSat. This 

includes all materials and labor required to build the CubeSat, plus the testing 

expenses, ground station development and operational expenses, as well as 

travel costs for required CSLI meetings and delivery.

Money is very important. Once your CubeSat is selected and manifested for a 

flight, CSLI will begin spending NASA dollars on your behalf. If you run out 

of funds and cannot complete your CubeSat, NASA may not be able to apply 

completed activities (“sunk costs”) to a replacement CubeSat. If this happens, a 

launch opportunity will have been lost and it could even cause the demanifest of 

other CubeSats co-manifested on the same launch. Additionally, the Cooperative 

Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) that you sign with NASA after 

being manifested requires you to reimburse NASA for any integration and launch 

> FREE ADVICE

FLEXIBILITY IS KEY. Keep your 

mission as flexible as possible. 

CSLI may select your CubeSat 

mission because it has some 

great science goals, but that 

doesn’t guarantee you’ll get a 

launch right away. If you need 

special considerations like a very 

specific orbit or specific launch 

date, finding a launch could be 

tricky. Do your best to keep your 

requirements for launch as flexible 

as possible.

Keys to CSLI Selection

• Adequate funding

• Great merit and feasibility 

reviews

• Clear demonstration of benefit 

to NASA

strategic partnering: 

Sometimes a CubeSat mission 

is too ambitious for a single 

organization to undertake. In 

that case, a strategic partnership 

can combine the strengths and 

resources of multiple organizations 

to achieve greater goals. These 

strategic partnerships are typically 

formalized by some kind of formal 

agreement.
12 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

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costs incurred if you don’t deliver your CubeSat on time. This hasn’t happened to 

anyone yet, but it could! Therefore, do not accept a launch opportunity until 

you are confident you can deliver your CubeSat on time. As part of your proposal to CSLI, you will need to provide enough budgetary information to prove 

that you’ve secured enough funding to get you across the finish line.

That being said, there is plenty of money out there for CubeSat projects, you just 

need to know where to look. Let’s take a look at where you can get the money you 

need for your space mission!

Designing a CubeSat around a specific mission you came up with on your own 

may be your dream, but it may be difficult to find funding. There are, however, 

requests for proposals (RFPs) sent out every year from organizations looking for 

people who can help them perform missions that would be perfect for a CubeSat. 

The National Science Foundation has funded a number of CubeSats in the past, 

as has NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO). A simple Internet 

search could help you find similar organizations looking for a great team to help 

them out. These organizations would work with your team and cover some or all 

of the development costs. For university students interested in starting a CubeSat 

project, another option is to inquire with faculty and administrators at your college or university. Someone there may think that funding your project would be 

an impressive feather in the university’s cap. In addition, every state has a NASA 

Space Grant Consortium, which provides resources in support of students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM.

Students Alex Diaz and Riki 

Munakata of California Polytechnic 

State University testing the LightSail 

CubeSat. LightSail is a citizen-funded 

technology demonstration mission 

sponsored by the Planetary Society 

using solar propulsion for CubeSats. 

[The Planetary Society]

So, what’s the bottom line? How much is a CubeSat project going to cost? 

Unfortunately, there isn’t a standard price tag we can show you. The amount of 

funding you’re going to need to budget 

for depends on a number of different 

factors, the most important of which 

include the mission’s complexity, the 

experience level of your personnel, the 

project’s duration, and whether you 

need any specialized hardware (see 

FIGURE 9).

Common Costs Associated 

with Developing a CubeSat

Materials Labor Environmental 

Testing

Travel

FIGURE 9: Common costs associated with developing a CubeSat.

Before you start searching for funding, be sure to research the mission’s 

requirements and create a detailed cost 

estimate to avoid the pitfalls of being 
CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 13

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DID YOU KNOW?

Crowdfunding

It’s probably crossed your mind already, and yes, crowdfunding is an option. 

You may not be able to get all of the money you need through crowdfunding, 

but CubeSat developers have used this method in the past. Just be aware that 

what makes for a popular crowdfunding idea does not necessarily mean it is a 

good CSLI idea.

One of the most successful crowdfunded CubeSats is LightSail, developed by 

The Planetary Society (TPS). Carl Sagan was one of the founding members of 

TPS, and now the famous science educator Bill Nye holds the reins as CEO. 

LightSail is their flagship project. It’s a 3U CubeSat that is designed to unfurl a 

32-square-meter sail, with the intent of propelling itself by sailing on the Sun’s 

radiation. So far, one LightSail CubeSat has been launched as a technology 

demonstration through CSLI. It’s an ambitious project—and according to 

the Kickstarter Web site, LightSail-2 has raised over $1.24 million. Your team 

might not have the media resources that TPS does (meaning you won’t get a 

million dollars), but other teams have acquired more realistic amounts through 

crowdfunding, so it could be a viable option for your team.

Technology Demonstration Missions

A number of CubeSat missions have been funded by Government agencies 

or commercial organizations to perform technology demonstrations. For 

example, say someone at NASA JPL is working on a $100 million satellite and 

will include some brand new technology that hasn’t been to space yet. To lower 

the risk to their own very expensive satellite mission, JPL will help someone 

else to incorporate this new component on a CubeSat platform to take it for 

an inexpensive test drive. This is an excellent option for newer organizations 

and universities that want to get experience building CubeSats, but don’t have 

significant resources.

KickSat is a technology 

demonstration mission designed 

by Zachary Manchester of Cornell 

University to demonstrate the 

deployment and operation of 104 

Sprite “ChipSats” developed at the 

university. KickSat was funded by 

over 300 individual backers on the 

crowdfunding Web site KickStarter. 

KickSat was launched by NASA’s 

CubeSat Launch Initiative on the 

ELaNa V mission as an auxiliary 

payload aboard the SpaceX-3 Cargo 

Resupply Mission on April 18, 2014. 

[Cornell University]

underfunded. To build a cost estimate, start by looking online for component 

suppliers. That will help you get an idea of the costs of materials. We’ll include 

more details about components in the design chapter (Chapter 2.4). Funding will 

also need to cover your ground station (see Chapter 2.10) and any environmental 

testing, which can include vibration, thermal vacuum bakeout, shock, and electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compatibility (EMI/EMC) testing (See

Chapter 6 for test descriptions), plus anything else the launch vehicle provider 

wants to throw at you. When possible, project reserves of at least 10% should be 

part of the budget to address any unexpected events. One common cost that is 

often overlooked is the cost for travel. CubeSat developers are typically required 

to travel to at least one review, and later to deliver the CubeSat for integration 
14 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

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into its dispenser. All of these items should be included in your cost estimate. 

CSLI will only cover the costs of the launch, which include the CubeSat dispenser, the integration services, and the launch itself. integration services: This 

normally includes, at a minimum, 

review of your deliverables, 

the dispenser, integrating your 

CubeSat into the dispenser, 

any testing that is done on the 

dispenser/CubeSat system, 

and physically integrating the 

dispenser/CubeSat system onto 

the launch vehicle.

2.3 Merit and Feasibility Reviews (1–2 months)

As part of your proposal to CSLI, your team will be required to perform a merit 

review and a feasibility review. These reviews help assure mission stakeholders 

(and everyone else involved in the mission, i.e. CSLI, the launch vehicle provider, 

other sponsors, etc.) that your team or organization is capable of fulfilling your 

obligations and completing a successful and worthwhile mission. Your team will 

organize these reviews, and you will choose the reviewers. And to make sure 

everything is on the up-and-up, the review panel must be made up of individuals who are not on the project team. For the merit review, choose reviewers 

who have knowledge/experience with your focus area (science, technology and/

or education) and that can assess why a flight opportunity is required. For the 

feasibility review, choose reviewers ideally with knowledge of space flight and 

spacecraft, but otherwise knowledgeable in various areas of hardware and project 

development and that can assess your team’s ability to deliver your spacecraft on 

time and on budget. If your focus area includes science or technology, be sure to 

include someone knowledgeable on that specific area. Keep in mind that you are 

not just trying to check a box; you want honest, valuable, and useful feedback to 

your objectives and design, so that you can improve your chances of a successful 

proposal and successful mission.

Integration of the NRO’s Government 

Rideshare Advanced Concepts 

Experiment (GRACE) carrying 

multiple payloads, which were 

included as auxiliary payloads aboard 

NROL-55. GRACE contained 13 

CubeSats, including 4 of NASA’s 

CubeSat Launch Initiative CubeSats, 

as part of the ELaNa XII mission. 

[Cal Poly]

The exact details for these reviews will be stated in CSLI’s official call for proposals, but a basic synopsis is included here for your reference.

Merit Review

Before submitting your proposal to CSLI, your CubeSat’s intended 

mission must pass an intrinsic merit review. This review will assess 

the goals and objectives of the mission to determine the quality of its 

investigation in regard to science, education, and/or technology. It will 

also determine if the overall investigation supports one or more of the 

science, education, technology, and/or operations goals or objectives of 

the NASA Strategic Plan. The more closely your mission aligns with a 

goal or objective of the NASA Strategic Plan, the more likely it is that 

your CubeSat will be selected.
CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 15

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Feasibility Review

In addition to the merit review, your team must also complete and 

pass a feasibility review prior to submitting the proposal. This review 

will judge whether your CubeSat’s mission is achievable with regard to 

“technical implementation,” including feasibility, resiliency, risk, and 

the probability of success. Bottom line: Is this mission even possible, 

and can your team get it done?

CSLI is not only interested in the outcomes of the merit and feasibility 

review but also how you addressed any findings from the reviews to resolve 

any issues or concerns identified by the reviewers.

2.4 CubeSat Design (1–6 months)

You will probably begin your design process with a lot of research. CubeSats 

have been around for a while now, and there are plenty of developers who have 

already made mistakes from which you can learn. Most of these developers are 

also very open and eager to share their successes and failures with others. There 

is plenty of material published online that may prove useful to you. We would 

also recommend attending one of the many annual conferences where you can 

meet and chat with members of the CubeSat community. A problem that may 

seem impossible to you might be old hat to someone who’s been working in this 

field for a while.

You will also need to research which components will work best for your CubeSat 

system. Luckily for you, CubeSats have become increasingly popular, and the 

availability of commercial off-the-shelf parts has vastly increased. Although most 

popular components can now be purchased through commercial vendors, many 

educational organizations still try to build and design as many components as 

possible in-house in order to enhance the educational experience, as well as to 

keep costs low. Because new companies are entering the marketplace every year, 

we can’t give you a complete list of CubeSat component vendors, but an Internet 

search will reveal a number of useful suppliers. A list of companies that supply CubeSat components can also be found at http://www.cubesat.org on the 

Developer Resources page. The list on this page is updated regularly, but it isn’t 

meant to be a complete list of every vendor on the market.

Students Sergei Posnov, David 

Einhorn, Thompson Cragwell, and 

Maria Kromis are working on the 

ANDESITE CubeSat from Boston 

University. ANDESITE will measure 

small-scale spatial magnetic features 

in the auroral current systems. The 

measurements will be made through 

a constellation of picosatellites 

deployed by the main payload and 

will communicate over a mesh 

network. [Boston University]
16 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

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> FREE ADVICE

KEEP IT SIMPLE. Keep the design as simple as possible. 

CDS requirements are on the conservative side. 

The CDS prohibits pyrotechnics, and discourages 

a host of other cool stuff. Some violations would be 

unacceptable, but some may be waived or approved 

on a mission-by-mission basis. You will, however, 

be eligible for more launches if you adhere to these 

specifications. Things like a propulsion system may 

make the launch provider or their primary payload 

nervous, and some just choose not to carry CubeSats 

that have them. So CSLI may still select your CubeSat 

for launch but it may take longer to find a willing launch 

provider to give you a ride.

IMPORTANT COMPONENTS SHOULD BE ON THE EXTERIOR. No 

matter how well you plan and design your CubeSat, it’s 

almost certain that something will break. Usually this 

happens during environmental testing (i.e., vibration/

shock testing). This is normal for a new design, but 

there are things you can do to make the repair work 

simpler and quicker. Most of the time, if you need to fix 

something on the inside of your structure (i.e., remove 

panels and take things apart), you will be required to 

perform certain testing again. However, if you design 

your CubeSat so that important components are near 

the exterior and easy to access, then the rework may be 

simple and retest might not be necessary.

DO NOT DESIGN TO THE LIMITS OF THE ENVELOPE. The 

CDS defines the standard CubeSat “envelope”—that 

is to say, the length, height, and width dimensions of 

the CubeSat body—very specifically. It’s extremely 

important that your CubeSat measurements fall 

within the tolerances set in the CDS. If your CubeSat 

doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fly. It’s a pretty terrible feeling 

to deliver your satellite and find out it won’t fit in the 

dispenser, so make sure your design targets the optimal 

dimension measurement, and the rest will be down to 

manufacturing. Pay attention to any planned protrusions 

as well. The CDS allows protrusions from the CubeSat 

body up to 6.5 mm from the surface. Most deployers 

can accommodate something a little longer, but that’s 

a dangerous path to walk. Simply put, as long as your 

CubeSat stays within the dimensional bounds of the 

CDS, there should be no problem when you deliver it.

DOUBLE UP ON THAT BURN WIRE. You may not know what 

burn wire is yet, but don’t worry, it’s a very simple (and 

pretty reliable) method for constraining deployable 

components. A lot of CubeSats use deployable solar 

panels to increase their Sun exposure, and virtually all 

CubeSats use some form of deployable antenna. Before 

the CubeSat is released into orbit, these deployables 

need to be constrained. The most common method 

to constrain a deployable is to tie a fishing line to its 

component and route the other end around a simple 

resistor, also called the burn wire. When it’s time to 

release the deployables, a current is run through the 

resistor. When the resistor produces enough heat, the 

fishing line melts and releases the deployable. The 

only problem with this method is that sometimes the 

fishing line comes loose during vibration testing or 

ascent. Launch providers hate that. Use two separate 

burn wires to give yourself, and the launch providers, 

some peace of mind. It should reduce the likelihood of a 

deployable coming loose prematurely during testing.

USE FAMILIAR COMPONENTS. Whenever possible, choose 

major components that have flown on CubeSats before. 

Major components include batteries, antennas, and 

attitude determination and control systems (ADCS). You 

aren’t restricted to using components that have flight 

heritage, but it reduces the risk of failure and gives the 

launch provider more confidence that your CubeSat 

won’t create problems.

USE UL LISTED BATTERIES. If a battery is “UL listed” it 

means that the company UL, LLC, has given this battery 

its stamp of approval, which is recognized industrywide. 

UL puts batteries through a specific round of testing that 

shows the batteries are reliable and meet certain industry 

specifications (i.e., environmental, testing to predetermine 

levels). Developers across the board prefer to use 

UL-certified batteries. If you use a battery without the UL 

certification or try to make your own battery, the launch 

provider will require you to perform extra testing on your 

batteries to prove their robustness. The same goes if you 

tamper with a UL listed battery or its safety features. 

USE OF HIGH-MELTING POINT MATERIALS. (See inset in 

Chapter 6.1)
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ADCS: The ADCS is the system 

designed to stabilize and orient 

the CubeSat toward a given 

direction. This is a critical system 

for mission success. If the satellite 

needs to point its solar panels 

toward the Sun to get the most 

power possible or if you are taking 

images of the Earth its attitude has 

to be set to the correct value.

You’ll want to get started on your design as soon as possible. Depending on the 

level of expertise of your team, you will encounter a number of setbacks during 

development, so it’s very prudent to give yourself as much time as possible.

To help you avoid some of those setbacks, we’ve started a list of design considerations for you to check out. (See Free Advice on the preceding page.) Almost 

everything on this list is derived from real-world experiences and mishaps that 

have cost developers valuable time and have given everyone involved extra truckloads of stress.

2.5 Development and Submittal of Proposal in 

Response to CSLI Call (3–4 months)

We won’t get into too much detail about what needs to be in your proposal. The 

specific proposal instructions for any Announcement of Partnership 

Opportunity (AoPO) sent out by CSLI are detailed in the official 

announcement posted at https://sam.gov or http://go.nasa.gov/

CubeSat_initiative. Timelines may vary, but proposals are usually due within 4 

months of the AoPO being posted. Typically, the AoPO is posted in early 

August and the proposals are due in November. Instructions on how to submit 

the proposal are included in the AoPO. Typically, CSLI requests that the proposal 

be e-mailed to a specific NASA representative. 

It’s extremely important to follow the AoPO instructions, and to include all of 

the requested information in your proposal. If the CSLI proposal evaluation 

team finds that your proposal is not compliant with the AoPO, or is lacking 

any of the information required by the AoPO, then your proposal will be 

removed from consideration for that selection period. You will need to rework 

your proposal and resubmit it to a future AoPO in a subsequent year.

Remember when writing your proposal to emphasize how your CubeSat mission satisfies all of the points listed in Keys to CSLI Selection in Chapter 2.1.

When submitting your proposal to CSLI, you will be asked to denote your project’s 

focus area(s): science, technology investigation and/or education. If you choose to 

select more than one focus area, your proposal and reviews must address the goals 

and objectives you will be meeting for each focus area. For example, if you choose 

science and education, your proposal will be reviewed equally for the quality of 

your science investigation and your education outcomes described in your submission. Using this example, a proposal with a strong science investigation could 

The St. Thomas More Cathedral 

School (STM)Sat-1 mission is 

an education mission to provide 

hands-on, inquiry-based learning 

activities with an on-orbit mission 

to photograph Earth and transmit 

images. STMSat-1 was the first 

CubeSat launched for a primary 

school. It was launched by NASA’s 

CubeSat Launch Initiative on the 

December 6, 2015 ELaNa IX mission 

on the fourth Orbital-ATK Cygnus 

Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) 

to the Space Station and deployed 

on May 16, 2016. [St. Thomas More 

Cathedral School]
18 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

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receive a substantially lower review if the proposal doesn’t contain an equally 

strong education plan. Therefore, choose wisely and conservatively.

After the CubeSat has been selected it will be manifested on a mission. At that 

time NASA and the CubeSat developer will enter into a contract with a lot 

of legal jargon (e.g., liability, risk, data-sharing, etc.). This contract is called a 

CRADA, which stands for Cooperative Research And Development Agreement. 

NASA will write up this contract and send it to you, the CubeSat developer. 

But because there are real legal consequences involved with this contract, you 

are strongly advised to have a legal expert review it with you. Most CubeSat 

developers send it to their sponsoring institution’s legal department. In the case 

of university CubeSat projects, the university’s legal department typically reviews 

the agreement.

A set of NanoRacks CubeSats is 

photographed by an Expedition 38 

crew member after the deployment 

by the Small Satellite Orbital Deployer 

(SSOD). [NASA]

2.6 Selection and Manifesting (1–36 months)

manifesting: The process 

of assigning CubeSats to the 

available slots on a launch 

opportunity.

Once proposals have been submitted, CSLI’s Selection Recommendation 

Committee will determine which proposals meet all of the standards outlined in 

the AoPO and will create a prioritized list of the qualifying CubeSat projects.

How do you get your CubeSat to the top of the priority list? First, your merit and 

feasibility reviews need to look great. Second, make sure your proposal hits all 

of the points in Chapter 2.1 Keys to CSLI Selection. Third, make sure your proposal clearly shows how you contribute to meeting one or more goals/objectives 

in the NASA Strategic Plan. Your proposal needs to be interesting and—if at all 

possible—groundbreaking.

Having priority doesn’t mean you’ll be manifested on the next CSLI launch, 

because you still need to be matched with a launch that will work for your mission 

parameters. However, having priority over the other CubeSat teams means you 

get “dibs” on the first launch that matches your criteria. NASA Launch Services 

Program (LSP) will pair the selected CubeSats with launch opportunities that are 

best suited for the CubeSats’ missions and completion dates, taking into account 

the planned orbit and any special constraints the CubeSat’s mission may have. 

Once the CubeSats are paired and manifested, an ELaNa mission number will 

be assigned.

The prioritized selection list will be released approximately 12 to 16 weeks after 

the proposal deadline. Prior awards can be viewed at the NASA CSLI Web site.
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2.7 Mission Coordination (9–18 months)

Let’s talk about mission coordination. This is another term that’s very common in 

the aerospace industry, but not so much in other fields. When any undertaking 

involves more than one party, a certain amount of “coordination” is required. 

CubeSat missions involve, at the very least, a CubeSat developer and an LV provider. The missions that CSLI sponsors will typically include a mission integrator, who is responsible for the coordination. A mission integrator is assigned 

once a launch opportunity is identified and one or more CubeSats are manifested to that opportunity. Note that the term “mission” here is bigger than your 

CubeSat “mission.” The mission now represents your CubeSat plus any other comanifested CubeSats, the dispensers, the launch, and the deployment. This coordination includes managing integration schedules, deliverable documentation, 

and how the requirements will be verified. In other words: mission coordination 

is a catchall term for the overall mission planning and the submitting and keeping track of paperwork that will be required to pass between the LV provider and 

the CubeSat developer. The mission integrator will be responsible for the schedule and communication between the parties to make sure all CubeSat requirements are verified on time.

mission integrator: You may be 

asking yourself why the mission 

integrator isn’t called the mission 

coordinator. Well, sometimes 

they are. The terms “integration” 

and “coordination” when referring 

to a mission are commonly used 

interchangeably. For the purposes 

of this document, the person/

organization responsible for the 

coordination will be referred to as 

“mission integrator,” and we’ll use 

“mission coordination” to refer to 

mission coordination activities.

Mission coordination will begin about 18 months before the scheduled launch 

date. It will start with a “kickoff” meeting between all of the developers on the 

mission and the mission integrator. Don’t worry, you shouldn’t need to travel anywhere for this; the kickoff will be conducted over the phone as a teleconference 

(also called a “telecon”). The CubeSat developers aren’t expected to know all of 

the ins and outs of the requirement verification process, so the mission integrator 

will help guide the developers through the process. The mission integrator will 

supply the developer with a schedule for hardware and document deliverables, 

and document templates for each document deliverable. The mission integrator 

is also responsible for creating a mission-specific CubeSat-to-dispenser Interface 

Control Document (ICD)—check out the ICD in Chapter 4.1 for more details. 

This ICD is, essentially, the official rulebook for your CubeSat. You and the 

mission integrator will work together to show that your CubeSat meets every 

one of the requirements stated in the ICD. These requirements are derived from 

the CDS and the launch vehicle’s specific needs. The ICD will also specify the 

relevant environmental testing levels and durations to which your CubeSat will 

need to be tested. To help keep everyone on track, the mission integrator will 

organize regular telecons to discuss the current status of the mission, get CubeSat 

development updates, and provide technical assistance and guidance.

deliverables: A deliverable 

is anything that your team has 

agreed to submit to the mission 

integrator as part of your legal 

obligations under the CRADA. 

These deliverables will be used to 

verify that your CubeSat meets the 

requirements set in the mission 

ICD. Chapter 6 describes the 

deliverables required on a typical 

CubeSat mission.
20 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

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During this mission coordination phase, your team will be working on hardware 

fabrication and design, testing, and the documentation you will be submitting to 

the mission integrator.

2.8 Regulatory Licensing (4–6 months)

We’ll go into much more detail about regulation-related licensing in Chapter 

5, but we’ll explain the basics here. All CubeSats must go through a licensing 

process in order to transmit radio signals and a separate process to license the use 

of an imaging instrument such as a camera. Obtaining licenses for satellites 

can be a lengthy process. Prior to finalizing any system design and operations plan and before submitting any application, 

you should understand regulatory constraints and 

clearly identify all necessary information required 

for licensing. Once all the necessary information 

is documented, you should submit your application, as soon as possible, preferably within 30 days 

after your CubeSat gets manifested or earlier. If you 

don’t have all of the necessary licenses in hand prior 

to your CubeSat’s final delivery date to the integrator, you risk your CubeSat being demanifested from 

the mission. This means you will be bumped from the 

launch. Don’t let that scare you too much; as long as 

you comply with regulatory rules, prepare a complete 

application, and get your paperwork started early, as 

recommended here, there should be time to get your 

license granted.

Naia Butler-Craig, a systems engineer 

intern at NASA’s Glenn Research 

Center, works on assembling and 

testing the Advanced Electrical 

Bus (ALBus) CubeSat. The ALBus 

CubeSat is a pathfinder technology 

demonstration for high power density 

CubeSats. [NASA/Bridget Caswell, 

Alcyon Technical Services]

More than likely, you will need to obtain a radio license because your CubeSat, 

like most other satellites, probably needs to transmit on a radio frequency (RF) 

to communicate with the ground and Federal law requires a radio license for 

that. Licenses to transmit RF to or from U.S. Government operated satellites are 

handled by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration 

(NTIA), while the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) handles all 

other non–Federal Government agency operated satellites. Before you get started, 

see Chapter 5 to help you determine which agency, and which license, is appropriate for your CubeSat and its mission.
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The second license you may have to obtain is based on whether your CubeSat 

includes an imager, or camera. Anyone who intends to operate a non–Government 

owned U.S. CubeSat with an imager must contact the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to find out whether a remote sensing 

license is necessary, and if it is, to get the application process started. This process 

can be lengthy, and the FCC will need to see your license from NOAA before it 

will finish processing your RF license. Many more details on obtaining a NOAA 

license can be found in Licensing Procedures (Chapter 5).

WARNING!

Being demanifested for a licensing issue sounds scary, and it is. The 

regulatory agencies take this very seriously. There was a CubeSat on an early 

CSLI launch that had been integrated into the dispenser, and onto the launch 

vehicle, without an approved FCC RF license. CSLI and the integrator had 

assumed it would be granted before launch, but a few days before launch 

this still hadn’t occurred. There wasn’t time to remove the CubeSat from the 

dispenser, so the integrator was planning to go to the launch vehicle and 

disable the release mechanism, so that the CubeSat could not be released into 

orbit. Luckily for the CubeSat developer, the license came through just before it 

was too late. Otherwise, not only would their mission have been scrubbed, 

but they also would have lost their CubeSat!

2.9 Flight-Specific Documentation Development 

and Submittal (10–12 months)

Once your CubeSat is manifested on a launch, the mission integrator will provide 

a list of deliverables (documents that CSLI and the mission integrator need from 

your team) that will need to be completed and submitted by a specified date. 

These documents will be used to verify that your CubeSat meets all safety and 

launch requirements set by the ICD. The first of these documents will likely be 

due shortly after your first kickoff meeting with the mission integrator. These 

deliverable documents will be discussed in more detail in the Flight Certification 

Documentation section (Chapter 6) of this document.
22 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

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2.10 Ground Station Design, Development, and 

Testing (2–12 months)

You will need a way to communicate with your CubeSat once it’s in space. For 

that you need a ground station. There are a lot of components required for a 

proper ground station, but two basic components you will need are a radio and 

an antenna. Your ground station should be built early in your project’s timeline. 

If your team isn’t experienced with CubeSat communications and the hardware 

required, building and testing your ground station will consume a lot of time 

and energy. Most teams prefer to use off-the-shelf amateur radio components, 

and there are typically local amateur radio club members willing (excited, even) 

to advise and help with building and commissioning the ground station. You can 

find these types of groups online (i.e. American Radio Relay League http://www.

arrl.org/). Some good basic design information also can be found on http://www.

cubesat.org.

Anthony Young works in the ground 

station at Santa Clara University, 

Santa Clara, Calif., in support 

of NASA’s Organism/Organic 

Exposure to Orbital Stresses 

(O/OREOS) CubeSat. [NASA]

Thorough testing of the ground station is critical for your mission’s success. The 

ground station is used to locate the satellite as well as to send commands and to 

downlink data. Launching with an inadequate ground station is a mission killer. 

Your ground station should be tested early and often. By monitoring existing satellites, your team can gain experience operating the equipment. This experience is 

invaluable in the satellite building process, particularly when writing the software 

and command structure. Additionally, it’s important to have your ground station 

in the loop during development. There are many satellites (CubeSats, amateur 

satellites, NOAA satellites, Space Station, etc.), which can be tracked, and even 

commanded if you coordinate with the satellite’s operators. Participating in such 

> FREE ADVICE

TROUBLESHOOTING BASICS. The ground station has many components 

operating independently, any of which, if not working properly, can cause 

communication issues. When troubleshooting, take a systematic approach. 

Make sure antennas are pointing where expected by using calibration 

points like mountains, the Sun, or the Moon for azimuth and elevation. 

Use a vector network analyzer, if available, to check the impedance of the 

antenna, cables, and any adapters in the path to the radio. Also confirm that 

the radio is tuning to the expected frequency, is in the right mode, and that 

line levels are appropriately set between the radio and the terminal node 

controller (TNC)/ computer. Software defined radios, particularly the small, 

less expensive options like the RTL2832 or FunCube, are an excellent way to 

capture and replay slices of RF spectrum for later decoding practice. 

terminal node controller 

(TNC): The TNC is a device used 

by amateur radio operators to 

participate in AX.25 packet radio 

networks. It will assemble the 

data into packets of information 

and key the transmitter to send 

the packets of data to the ground 

station. Once the ground station 

receives the packets, the packets 

are reassembled and encoded to 

a form that can be interpreted by 

your ground station.
CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 23

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activities can be valuable experience for your CubeSat team. (See Chapter 2.16 for 

more on tracking satellites).

Your team should become familiar with commonly tracked satellites and their 

operating modes and frequencies. In the 437 MHz (70 cm) band there are plenty 

of CubeSats with beacons strong enough to easily receive, but it is necessary 

to know which ones are active and which are not. As a rule of thumb, look for 

recently launched CubeSats, as those are most likely to be operating. Contact the 

organization that developed (and is most likely operating) the CubeSat, if necessary, to confirm operation. In the 140 MHz (2 m) band, the NOAA weather 

satellites are an excellent test object and produce interesting images.

On your launch day, you’ll want to be as knowledgeable about CubeSat communications (CubeSat comms) and satellite tracking as humanly possible, so do 

as much research as you can. This includes contacting experienced university 

CubeSat programs, reading papers and presentations online, and going to small 

satellite conferences to chat with your fellow developers. With all of the resources 

available to you, you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting your team up to 

speed before launch.

2.11 CubeSat Hardware Fabrication and Testing 

(2–12 months)

As mentioned in the CubeSat Design section (Chapter 2.4), many hardware components may be purchased from commercial vendors, but fabricating in-house 

whenever possible can help keep costs down and, for educational CubeSat projects, can increase learning opportunities. The timeframe for this part of the 

process varies greatly depending on how ambitious the design is and how experienced your team is. Be conservative in planning and pad your build schedule 

with plenty of margin.

margin: This is a very common 

term in the engineering world 

specifically referring to the safety 

margin, but is more generally 

used to refer to extra anything that 

gives you peace of mind. When 

you’re talking about scheduling, 

you add time, or margin, in case 

you run into issues or just estimate 

incorrectly.

Keep in mind that it’s cheaper to build two satellites at once than to build one 

and later decide to build another. Launch opportunities are very fluid, and launch 

failures are always possible. If financially possible, it is extremely useful to build 

multiple units (e.g., one Engineering Test Unit—known as an ETU, a FlatSat, 

and two flight units). Qualification testing and integrated development can be 

performed on the ETU, troubleshooting on the FlatSat, and final environmental 

testing can be done on the flight units. No two satellites are exactly the same, so 

building two flight units gives the option to fly the best hardware.

ETU: An engineering test unit. 

An ETU is built like the flight unit, 

but is not intended for launch. 

Developers will typically use the 

ETU like a practice dummy. It can 

be used to practice putting the 

components together, fit checks, 

hardware and software testing, 

and anything else that you don’t 

want to try for the first time on 

your valuable flight unit.

FlatSat: A FlatSat is exactly what 

it sounds like. It’s an engineering 

unit of the CubeSat that includes 

all of the components, except 

the structure. Typically, the 

components are mounted on 

some sort of flat board, hence 

the term FlatSat. Developers 

can use the FlatSat to test and 

troubleshoot the CubeSat’s 

systems without integrating 

everything onto the structure.
24 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

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During assembly of the flight satellites, developers are encouraged to take as 

many pictures as possible at regular intervals. Keeping detailed photo documentation during all phases of assembly, integration, and testing has saved some flight 

missions in the past. We can’t stress enough how important it is to keep good, 

detailed records of your successes and failures as you progress. One of the most 

common problems CubeSat teams have had is losing knowledge and expertise 

when team members move on and are replaced by new personnel. University 

CubeSat developers have the greatest problem with senior members graduating 

before the completion of the project.

> FREE ADVICE

KEEP EXCELLENT RECORDS OF EVERYTHING YOU DO. It is incredibly important 

to keep great records of the work your team has been doing. These 

records should be in the form of photographic evidence and thorough 

documentation. This is especially important for student organizations that 

will be losing senior team members as they graduate. Keeping records helps 

continuity within the project; you’ll avoid “reinventing the wheel” over and 

over again.

Denise Thorsen and Jesse Frey from 

the University of Alaska Fairbanks 

are performing DITL testing on the 

Alaska Research Center (ARC) 

CubeSat. ARC was launched by 

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative on 

the ELaNa XII mission as an auxiliary 

payload aboard the NROL-55 Mission 

on October 8, 2015. [University of 

Alaska, Fairbanks]

There are two types of testing you will do for your CubeSat. The first type, development testing, is internal testing you’ll do for your own purposes. The second 

type, verification testing, you’ll do to prove to CSLI and the launch provider 

that your CubeSat is safe and sturdy. You can do as much development testing 

as you want, and no documentation will be due to CSLI. Once your CubeSat 

build is complete, you will be required to perform specific testing and submit test 

plans and reports to verify that the CubeSat meets the ICD requirements. After 

verification testing is performed, you cannot work on the CubeSat any longer, 

or you will be required to perform the verification testing again. Verification 

testing typically includes vibration and thermal vacuum tests, and in some cases 

shock, EMI/EMC, and static load tests, to ICD-prescribed levels. Day In The 

Life (DITL) testing is also required to show that electrical inhibits and timers 

will function correctly. 

electrical inhibit: An electrical 

inhibit is a physical device that 

interrupts the “power path” 

needed to turn on your CubeSat 

and/or other potentially hazardous 

devices. 

For vibration and shock testing, testing containers may be available for your 

CubeSat. This testing container is a simplified version of the actual flight dispenser to act as a flight-like interface between your CubeSat and the testing apparatus. Ask your mission integrator if there are testing versions of your assigned 

dispenser available.
CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 25

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> FREE ADVICE

DEVELOPMENT TESTING. “Test like you fly” is a common mantra for CubeSat 

developers and applies to more than just final environmental testing. 

During electronic development, use evaluation and development kits and 

breadboard components before fabricating boards. Once the printed circuit 

boards (PCBs) are produced, test as many expected functions as possible 

before interfacing it with other systems. Keep the scope small with testing 

and add components systematically, testing them along the way. Never 

assume that boards or subsystems that work well during standalone testing 

will work well when integrated with other boards or subsystems.

During mechanical development, it is useful to do thermal and vibration tests 

on individual subsystems prior to integrating all components. This often 

catches design issues early on and reduces over-test on the overall system.

breadboard: A breadboard 

is a board used to make 

an experimental model of 

components for testing.

Testing should be completed with all documentation submitted to the mission 

integrator no later than 1 month prior to the readiness reviews.

2.12 Mission Readiness Reviews (Half-Day)

The Mission Readiness Review (MRR) is a presentation that you 

will deliver to CSLI and the mission integrator summarizing all 

of the evidence you’ve provided to show that your CubeSat satisfies all of the requirements in the ICD. All of your deliverable 

documentation should be submitted to, and accepted by, the mission integrator prior to this review. That means all testing should 

also have been completed, and your CubeSat should be completely finished. This review cannot be completed by telephone; 

all CubeSat teams manifested on the mission are required to send 

at least one representative to present at the readiness review—so 

don’t forget to budget for travel! The location of the review will 

be determined by LSP and the mission integrator. An MRR outline or template will be provided to each team by the mission 

integrator at least 1 month prior to the review. Your team will be 

required to submit a draft of the presentation 2 weeks or more 

before the review. This MRR pre-check of your draft is for your 

benefit as well as the reviewers. The mission integrator will be able 

to catch a lot of errors and ensure all information is covered so the 

actual MRR goes as smoothly as possible.

SporeSat undergoing vibration testing. SporeSat is 

a space biology science mission designed by Ames 

Research Center to gain a deeper knowledge of the 

mechanism and determine the threshold of cell gravity 

sensing. Launched by NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative 

on the ELaNa V mission as an auxiliary payload aboard 

the SpaceX-3 Cargo Resupply Mission on April 18, 2014.

[NASA Ames Research Center]
26 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

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2.13 CubeSat-to-Dispenser Integration and Testing 

(2 days)

It’s delivery day! You’ve completely finished your CubeSat—all testing is complete 

and all paperwork has been submitted. Now you get to deliver your CubeSat to 

the integration site, the location of which is determined by the mission integrator. When you arrive at the integration site you’ll unpack your CubeSat and 

move it into the integrator’s clean room. It’s not required, but the integrator may 

request that you help with the integration process. This means being responsible 

for positioning the CubeSat on the workbench while the integrator takes the preintegration physical measurements. Some integrators 

will make a great effort to avoid handling the CubeSat. 

You may even get to insert your CubeSat into the dispenser. In addition to integration activities, and assuming the integration facility allows cameras, there may be 

photo opportunities. These photos can be great publicity 

for your program—and for your scrapbook—so don’t 

forget to bring your pretty smiles! Once the dispenser 

door is closed, and all photos are taken, your job is done. 

The integrator will seal the dispenser and that typically 

concludes day 1.

The CSSWE (Colorado Student 

Space Weather Experiment)

CubeSat and PPOD just prior to 

integration. The CSSWE launched on 

September 13, 2012 as an auxiliary 

payload on the ELaNa VI mission 

aboard the NROL-36. [University of 

Colorado at Boulder]

On day 2, the dispenser and CubeSat will go through 

a final vibration test as a single unit to make sure integration was successful. And that’s it—the integrator will 

take it from there.

Generally, the developers are required to attend integration. This is to ensure that 

if any issues arise they can be addressed real time and it is also the last time you’ll 

see your CubeSat.

After integration to the dispenser is complete, you won’t have access to the 

CubeSat again. With prior approval, you may run system diagnostics or perform 

battery charging at the integration site before the CubeSat is buttoned up in the 

dispenser. However, in the event that there is a very long launch delay (e.g., if 

your launch is delayed by several months) the developers may have an opportunity to access their CubeSats again, but this is only in extreme circumstances and 

is by no means guaranteed.
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Any special accommodations (clean room, temperature, humidity, security, storage, etc.) that 

your CubeSat requires at the integration site 

should be requested at the start of the mission. 

Additionally, you will need to inform the integrators about any Ground Support Equipment 

(GSE) you plan to bring to the site, as well as 

any potential hazards to integration personnel. 

If the CubeSat has any possible hazards (e.g., 

laser emitters), the CubeSat team will need to 

provide safety gear for the integration team 

(e.g., protective eyewear).

After the CubeSat is integrated into the dispenser, the mission integrator will inspect the loaded dispenser one more time. 

Then the dispenser will be packaged and shipped to the integration site where the 

loaded dispenser will be integrated onto the launch vehicle.

Technicians integrating a PPOD 

containing CubeSats onto the Delta 

II launch vehicle as part of the ELaNa 

X mission that was launched as an 

auxiliary payload on NASA’s Soil 

Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) 

Mission. [NASA]

2.14 Dispenser-to-Launch Vehicle Integration

(1 day)

Dispenser-to-launch vehicle integration is the point at which the dispenser loaded 

with your CubeSat is attached to the rocket. This sounds pretty cool, and it is, but 

unfortunately, you aren’t invited. The launch vehicle providers are very protective 

of their rockets, so only essential personnel are permitted to participate. Essential 

personnel usually include LSP representatives, the mission integrator, and the 

launch provider’s technicians.

The process only takes about a half-day to a day, depending on the launch vehicle. 

Not all missions are run the same way, but typically on the big day, the mission 

integrator will arrive at the launch vehicle site with the loaded dispenser. The LV 

technicians will lead the integrator to the location on the LV where the dispenser 

is to be affixed. After a final cleaning and inspection, the mission integrator will 

hand off the dispenser to the LV technicians. The technicians will follow a prescribed procedure to carefully attach the dispenser to the LV. Finally, photographs will be taken as evidence that the integration was successful, and your 

CubeSat will be that much closer to space.
28 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

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The integration to the LV typically occurs 2 weeks to 4 months prior to launch. 

It all depends on which LV your CubeSat is using. Each mission model is different and explained in more detail in the Mission Models section (Chapter 3) of 

this document.

2.15 Launch (1 day)

The launch location will depend on the primary mission, and will be known well before 

the CubeSats are manifested. The launch 

date may change from the original timeline, 

but only the primary mission or launch vehicle can move the launch date. The CubeSats 

do not have any influence on the launch or 

launch window. If your project gets delayed 

for any reason, the launch will not be delayed. 

If your CubeSat is not delivered in time, 

the LV will definitely leave without your 

CubeSat onboard.

Launch of ELaNa-II from Vandenberg 

Air Force Base, CA on December 6, 

2013. Four CubeSat Missions were 

deployed. [Corkery/ULA]

While the CubeSat developers won’t have an 

active role in launch operations, you will usually be invited to come to the launch site and 

watch the LV take off. Travel will be at your own expense, but most teams think 

it’s well worth it. While you’re there, LSP may ask that you participate in some 

public affairs and outreach events (e.g., NASA EDGE interviews, photos, etc.).

Be aware that the launch date is subject to change at any time and day-of-launch 

scrubs are common due to weather and other factors. So, if you plan to travel to 

the launch, it may be wise to include some extra days in the event of a last-minute 

launch delay.
CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 29

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2.16 Mission Operations (variable, up to 20 years)

Initial operations can be the most exciting part of a satellite mission, especially to 

first-time flyers; however, it can also be the most challenging. But not to worry, 

the mission integrator will work with your team to get communications up and 

running after launch.

By now your team should have had plenty of practice using the ground station on 

engineering and/or flight versions of your own CubeSat, as well as some practice 

tracking existing CubeSats. You may have even been able to request permission 

from other CubeSat teams to uplink to their satellites. Having operations experience during the development of your CubeSat is invaluable because it helps you 

decide what commands will work best when your CubeSat is in orbit. Existing 

satellites are a good starting point because the orbit and satellite behavior should 

be well established.

> FREE ADVICE

HOW TO TRACK A SATELLITE. To predict where any satellite is in orbit, twoline element (TLE) sets are entered into satellite tracking software that 

calculates the expected position of the satellite. TLEs can be generated from 

various sources; however, the most widely available and accurate TLEs are 

produced by the United States Air Force’s Joint Space Operations Center 

(JSpOC) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The JSpOC publishes 

TLEs for most of the satellites currently in orbit on its Web site, http://

www.space-track.org. The JSpOC Web site is also a great place to review 

satellite-tracking data, because their records go back to 1957, the beginning 

of the space program.

0 CXBN-2

1 42704U 98067LM 17304.55488591 .00021073 00000-0 25707-3 0 9994

2 42704 51.6386 74.8642 0001580 42.1764 317.9350 15.60423680 26110

two-line element (TLE): A 

TLE is a data format encoding 

a list of orbital elements of an 

Earth-orbiting CubeSat for a given 

point in time, the epoch. Using a 

prediction formula, a TLE can be 

used to estimate the position and 

velocity in the past, present or 

future for your CubeSat.

Directly following a launch, the first challenge is determining which new object 

is your satellite. The launch provider usually provides preliminary state vectors 

before the launch date so the CubeSat developers can plan and schedule their 

operations. State Vectors specify the position and velocity of CubeSat relative to 

the Earth’s center of mass and are used to predict viewing times and the position 

of your CubeSat.
30 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

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The University of Colorado at 

Boulder Miniature X-ray Solar 

Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSat 

followed by the University of Michigan 

CADRE CubeSat, are deployed from 

the Space Station on May 16, 2016 

on the ELaNa IX mission. The MinXSS 

mission is a science investigation 

to study solar flares, active regions, 

the quiescent Sun, and their impact 

on Earth’s upper atmosphere. The 

CADRE mission is a space weather 

investigation that will improve our 

understanding of the dynamics of 

the upper layers of our atmosphere: 

the thermosphere and ionosphere. 

[NASA]

Right after the CubeSats are ejected into orbit on launch day, the launch provider 

will provide actual state vectors that can be converted into TLEs. It can take 

some time—from a couple days up to a week or so—for the JSpOC to produce 

rough TLEs. The accuracy of the TLEs will become more refined over the following few weeks. During this time, the mission integrator will be working both 

with the JSpOC and the CubeSat teams to help determine which satellite belongs 

to which TLE. Some CubeSats carry GPS receivers, which helps identify each 

satellite by process of elimination. It’s not uncommon for it to take several weeks 

to confidently identify all of the satellites from a launch.

If you’re planning to use a radio frequency in the amateur band (more frequency band details in Chapter 5.1), you can get help contacting your satellite 

from the amateur radio community. In the past, CubeSat developers have posted 

announcements online to get help from volunteer satellite trackers. These volunteers have been very helpful identifying CubeSats. You can get more details by 

reaching out to fellow CubeSat teams online and at conferences.

One more resource to help you out is the CubeSat Internet Relay Chat (IRC) 

channel. During and directly following launch, most of the active amateur satellite-tracking enthusiasts meet on the CubeSat IRC channel to share observations and work to identify each CubeSat. Most “first contacts” occur on this IRC 

channel, and many are from other parts of the world. To join the CubeSat IRC 

channel, point your favorite IRC client to: irc.freenode.net #cubesat
CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 31

3Mission Models

CubeSat 

101

IN THIS CHAPTER

3.1 NASA-Procured Launch Vehicle 

Mission Model

3.2 Operationally Responsive Space 

(ORS) Rideshare Mission Model

3.3 National Reconnaissance Office 

(NRO) Rideshare Mission Model

3.4 Commercial Launch Service 

Through a Third-Party Broker 

Mission Model

3.5 International Space Station (ISS) 

Deployment Mission Model

Pictured above: 

IceCube Team working at NASA’s 

Goddard Space Flight Center. The 

objective of the IceCube mission is 

to demonstrate the technology of 

a sub-millimeter-wave radiometer 

for future cloud ice sensing. This 

technology will enable cloud ice 

measurements to be taken in the 

intermediate altitudes (5 km–15 km), 

where no measurements currently 

exist. Launched by NASA’s CubeSat 

Launch Initiative on the May 24, 2017 

ELaNa XVII mission on the seventh 

Orbital-ATK Cygnus Commercial 

Resupply Services (OA-7) to the 

Space Station. [NASA]

We know from Chapter 1 that CSLI has flown CubeSats on a number of 

different launch vehicles, but did you know that those launch vehicles 

were sponsored by different organizations? In this chapter we want to tell you 

about the different types of missions that CSLI CubeSats have been a part of. 

These organizations have a particular way they like to run their missions. These 

are called “mission models.” That means your CubeSat team will work with 

requirements and organization structures specific to the type of mission your 

CubeSat is manifested on. To better prepare your team for what you can expect, 

we’ll go over the major differences in the mission models (listed below) that CSLI 

has worked with thus far.

1. NASA-Procured Launch Vehicle Mission Model

2. Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) Rideshare Mission Model

3. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Rideshare Mission Model

4. Commercial Launch Service through a Third-Party Broker Mission Model

5. International Space Station (ISS) Deployment Mission Model
32

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CHAPTER 3 Mission Models

3.1 NASA-Procured Launch Vehicle Mission Model

It’s no surprise that CSLI has placed CubeSats on launch vehicles being used 

for NASA missions. This is known as the NASA-Procured Launch Vehicle mission model. Every year, NASA LSP procures launch vehicles for NASA and 

other civil U.S. Government agencies that will conduct missions to further scientific research or conduct technology demonstrations. When those missions’ 

requirements allow for it, CSLI CubeSats are allowed to hitch a ride to orbit. 

The CubeSat requirements for these flights are based on LSP-REQ-317.01 and 

the CubeSat Design Specification (CDS), both of which are discussed in the 

Requirement Sources section (Chapter 4). 

The organizational chart in FIGURE 10 outlines the organizations involved in 

NASA-Procured Launch Vehicle mission model. For CubeSat missions, NASA 

typically contracts mission coordination duties to an outside organization. 

Mission coordination duties can include the following: coordinating safety documentation with range safety, interfacing with the CubeSat developers, verifying ICD requirements, acting as the point of contact for the FCC and NOAA, 

performing CubeSat-to-dispenser integration and testing, and coordinating with 

the JSpOC to identify each CubeSat in orbit. Finally—and here’s the part that 

range safety: Range safety is 

the person designed to protect 

people and assets on both 

the rocket launch range and 

downrange in cases when a 

launch vehicle might expose them 

to danger. 

Launch of the ELaNa-X mission on 

January 31, 2015, as an auxiliary 

payload on NASA’s Soil Moisture 

Active Passive (SMAP) mission 

from Vandenberg Air Force Base, 

Calif. Three CSLI CubeSats were 

deployed: FIREBIRD II A,B from 

Montana State University, Bozeman, 

Mont.; GRIFEX from the Jet 

Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, 

Calif.; and EXOCUBE from Cal Poly, 

San Louis Obispo, Calif. [NASA]

NASA Primary Mission

Primary Mission Representative LV Provider

NASA LSP

Mission Management

CSLI Mission Integrator

Mission Coordination, Dispenser 

Integration, and Acceptance Testing

CSLI 

CubeSats

FIGURE 10: NASA-Procured Launch Vehicle Mission Model Organizational Chart
33

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CHAPTER 3 Mission Models

affects your team—the mission integrator and/or NASA typically requires regular mission tag-ups via telephone with the CubeSat developers. During these tagups the mission integrator will update the team on mission status and ask each 

developer to provide an update on their CubeSat status. You, as the developer, 

are expected to keep the mission integrator and NASA informed of your development status and any issues that might crop up.

A Minotaur I rocket carrying, among 

other payloads, 11 small CubeSat 

research satellites as part of NASA’s 

fourth ELaNa mission, lifts off from 

Virginia’s Mid-Atlantic Regional 

Spaceport Pad 0B at NASA’s 

Wallops Flight Facility at 8:15 p.m. 

EST Nov. 19, 2013. This launch 

marked the launch of the first highschool-built cubesat, TJ3Sat built 

by Thomas Jefferson High School, 

Alexandria, VA. [NASA/Ali Stancil]

All of your deliverables will be submitted to and reviewed by the mission integrator and approved by NASA LSP. The mission integrator is responsible for recommending to NASA LSP whether or not each CubeSat team is ready for flight.

NASA will be responsible for ensuring that all CSLI CubeSats comply with 

NASA orbital debris mitigation requirements and will generate the Orbital 

Debris Assessment Report (see Chapter 6.1) for all CSLI CubeSats.

In addition to the documentation, NASA also requires each team to present a 

readiness review in person to the mission integrator with NASA LSP as an advisor. This is the same readiness review we discussed in the Development Process 

Overview section (Chapter 2.12). 
34 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

CHAPTER 3 Mission Models

3.2 Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) 

Rideshare Mission Model

The Operational Responsive Space (ORS) Office isn’t as well known as NASA, 

but they’ve been very supportive of CubeSat missions. It’s a joint effort of multiple agencies within the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), and they have 

provided space on their launch vehicles to CubeSats in need of a ride to orbit. 

ORS launches have given rides to CSLI CubeSats as well as to other non–CSLI 

sponsored CubeSats.

The organizational chart in FIGURE 11 outlines the ORS Rideshare Mission Model. 

ORS will contract with a mission integrator to oversee the development and integration of the LV and payloads on the mission. As with the NASA mission model, 

these responsibilities may include coordinating safety documentation with range 

safety, interfacing with the CubeSat developers, verifying ICD requirements, acting as point of contact for the secondary missions with the FCC and NOAA, 

coordinating with the JSpOC for pre- and post-launch identification of objects, 

and managing the physical CubeSat-to-dispenser integration. 

ORS Mission Integrator

ORS Office

LV Provider

NASA LSP

Mission Management

CSLI Mission 

Integrator

CSLI 

CubeSats

ORS 

CubeSats

FIGURE 11: ORS Rideshare Mission Model Organizational Chart

In addition to the ORS mission integrator, there typically will be another mission 

integrator contracted by ORS to deal specifically with the CSLI CubeSat teams. 
CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 35

CHAPTER 3 Mission Models

The CSLI mission integrator will have scaled-back responsibilities compared to 

the equivalent role in the NASA-owned mission model, because the ORS mission 

integrator is responsible for a number of the tasks. The CSLI mission integrator 

will be limited to tasks related to tracking CubeSat development, performing ICD 

verification tasks, and providing relevant updates to the ORS mission integrator. 

This person will also participate in the ORS Mission tag-up meetings with ORS, 

and will speak on behalf of the CubeSat teams. The CSLI mission integrator will 

hold separate tag-ups for the CSLI CubeSats. Each CubeSat team will present a 

readiness review to the CSLI mission integrator and the ORS mission integrator 

with NASA LSP acting as an advisor. As with all mission models, CSLI CubeSat 

teams will be required to present in-person for their readiness review.

You, as the CubeSat developer will submit all of your document deliverables to 

the CSLI mission integrator. So, from your point of view, everything is pretty 

much the same on an ORS mission as it is on a NASA mission: a member of 

your CubeSat team will have regular tag-up meetings with a mission integrator, 

submit all required documentation to an integrator, and participate in a readiness 

review for final launch approval. 

NASA will be responsible for ensuring that all CSLI CubeSats comply with 

NASA orbital debris mitigation requirements and will generate the Orbital 

Debris Assessment Report (see Chapter 6.1) for all CSLI CubeSats.

Kathryn Clements and Mary Distler, 

students at St. Louis University, with 

the Argus CubeSat after completing 

pre-integration checkout. Launched by 

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative on 

the ELaNa VII mission as an auxiliary 

payload aboard the U.S. Air Force-led 

Operationally Responsive Space (ORS4) Mission on November 3, 2015. [St. 

Louis University]

3.3 National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) 

Rideshare Mission Model

The NRO has been a great supporter of CubeSat technologies and has flown a 

number of CubeSats as auxiliary payloads on their launch vehicles. CSLI has 

worked with the NRO for many years, and if your CubeSat mission is selected 

by CSLI to fly on a NRO mission, you will work primarily with the Auxiliary 

Payload Integration Contractor (APIC) team, which can be made up of multiple 

organizations and is contracted by the NRO.

DID YOU KNOW?

The NRO

The National Reconnaissance 

Office (NRO) is an agency within 

the United States intelligence 

community. The NRO is responsible 

for designing, building, and operating 

the reconnaissance satellites for the 

United States Government. Although 

the NRO was established in 1961, 

its existence wasn’t declassified 

until 1992. If you’d like to know more 

about what the NRO does, their Web 

site, http://www.nro.gov, is a great 

place to start.

The chart in FIGURE 12 shows all of the organizations involved in preparing 

CubeSats for flight on NRO-sponsored launches. The Office of Space Launch 

(OSL), located at the top of the chart, is the organization within the NRO that 

deals with launching satellites, as opposed to designing or operating them.
36 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

CHAPTER 3 Mission Models

APIC

Auxiliary Payload Integration Contractor

Mission Integration

OSL

Office of Space Launch

(Under the National 

Reconnaissance Office)

LV Provider

NASA LSP

Mission Management

CSLI 

CubeSats

NRO 

CubeSats

FIGURE 12: NRO Mission Model Organizational Chart

The APIC will be responsible for the mission integrator’s duties and will report 

regularly to the launch vehicle provider and OSL. For these reports and any 

readiness reviews to OSL, the APIC will need information and reports from the 

CubeSat teams; however, the CubeSat teams won’t need to participate in any 

of these meetings. Instead, the CubeSat teams will meet with the APIC team 

separately, typically in biweekly tag-ups via teleconference. At these tag-ups, the 

teams will provide status updates and alert the APIC to any issues that may affect 

the schedule or their ability to meet requirements. 

CubeSat teams will also be responsible for presenting a readiness review to the 

APIC, just like the other mission models. CSLI CubeSats will be required to 

present the review in-person to the APIC team, NASA LSP, and OSL. 

This is the launch of ELaNa-XII on 

October 8, 2015, as an auxiliary 

payload on the NROL-55 mission from 

Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Four 

CubeSat missions were deployed: 

BisonSat from Salish Kootenai College, 

Pablo, Mont.; Fox-1 from AMSAT, The 

Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 

Kensington, Md.; ARC-1 from the 

University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska; 

and LMRSTSat from the Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. [ULA]

NASA will be responsible for ensuring that all CSLI CubeSats comply with 

NASA orbital debris mitigation requirements and will generate the Orbital 

Debris Assessment Report (see Chapter 6.1) for all CSLI CubeSats.

All deliverables submitted by the CubeSat teams will be reviewed by the APIC. 

So, again, there isn’t much of a change for what your CubeSat team will need to 

do compared to the other mission models we’ve talked about so far: a member 

of your team will attend regular tag-up meetings with the APIC (the mission 

integrator), submit all required documentation to the APIC, and participate in a 

readiness review for final launch approval.
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CHAPTER 3 Mission Models

3.4 Commercial Launch Service Through a 

Third-Party Broker Mission Model

CubeSat developers can purchase launches through third-party brokers on 

non-Government launches, usually on commercial or foreign missions. CSLI can 

also procure rides through a broker for payloads on commercial missions.

The requirements for these missions will come from 

the LV provider via the broker (see FIGURE 13). NASA 

LSP will not verify the CubeSat requirements; instead, 

the broker will either serve as mission integrator or 

assign one. The mission integrator will work with the 

CubeSat and launch vehicle representatives to create the CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD and determine 

the appropriate schedule for document and hardware 

deliverables. The mission integrator role for third-party 

broker missions will be similar to that of the NASA 

missions. The mission integrator for these missions may 

not require readiness reviews, but may instead track the 

status of document and hardware deliverables to verify 

that the CubeSats are ready for flight.

During an event Oct. 14, 2015, at the 

Agency’s Kennedy Space Center 

in Florida, Garrett Skrobot, lead 

for the ELaNa missions for NASA’s 

Launch Services Program, shows 

the size of the CubeSats that will be 

launched under NASA’s contract 

award for the Venture Class Launch 

Services. Rocket Lab USA and Virgin 

Galactic were awarded contracts 

under the Venture Class Launch 

Services competition to send several 

CubeSats into space on flight profiles 

tailored to the needs of the CubeSats 

manifested on each launch. [NASA/

Kim Shiflett]

NASA will be responsible for ensuring that all CSLI CubeSats comply with 

NASA orbital debris mitigation requirements and will generate the Orbital 

Debris Assessment Report (see Chapter 6.1) for all CSLI CubeSats.

Third-Party Broker

Mission Manager LV Provider

CSLI 

CubeSats

FIGURE 13: Third-Party Broker Mission Model Organizational Chart
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CHAPTER 3 Mission Models

3.5 International Space Station (ISS) 

Deployment Mission Model

In addition to riding as auxiliary payloads mounted directly to launch vehicles, 

CubeSats can also be deployed from the Space Station (see FIGURE 14). For this 

type of mission, the CubeSats are integrated into dispensers on the ground, transported to the ISS in a pressurized cargo vessel (e.g., SpaceX Dragon, Orbital ATK’s 

Cygnus, etc.), and hand carried onto the ISS from the cargo vessel. Astronauts 

aboard the ISS are responsible for deploying the CubeSats from the ISS typically 

1–3 months after arrival. 

CubeSat mechanical and electrical requirements for ISS deployment are similar 

to those found in the CDS. For a list of requirements specific to ISS deployment, please visit the NanoRacks Web site at http://nanoracks.com. NanoRacks 

is currently the only commercial organization that can deploy CubeSats from 

the ISS. Any CubeSat using their services will need to comply with the current 

NanoRacks ICD. As with the other mission models, the CubeSats will submit 

flight safety review documents to the mission integrator, and the mission integrator will handle any reviews required by the ISS team.

NASA will be responsible for ensuring that all CSLI CubeSats comply with 

NASA orbital debris mitigation requirements and will generate the Orbital 

Debris Assessment Report (see Chapter 6.1) for all CSLI CubeSats.

Mission Integrator

Mission Coordination, 

ISS Integration, and 

Acceptance Testing

NASA ISS LV Provider

NASA LSP

Mission Management

CSLI 

CubeSats

Other 

CubeSats

FIGURE 14: ISS Mission Model Organizational Chart
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4Requirement 

Sources for Launch

IN THIS CHAPTER

4.1 Mission-Specific Interface Control 

Documents (ICDs)

4.2 Launch Services Program (LSP)—

Program-Level Requirements

4.3 CubeSat Design Specifications 

(CDS)

4.4 Dispenser Standards/

Specifications

4.5 Federal Statutes

4.6 Range Safety Requirements

CubeSat 

101

Pictured above: 

St. Thomas More Cathedral 

School STMSat-1 (1U) and 

Nodes 1 and 2 (1.5U each) 

deployment from the International 

Space Station on May 16, 2016. 

[NASA]

Unfortunately, you can’t know all of the requirements your CubeSat will 

need to adhere to before you start your design process. The requirements 

for previous CubeSat launches have all been similar, but they do vary with every 

mission. You can, however, use some of the public documents that are discussed 

in this chapter as guidelines. The CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD (provided by the 

mission integrator after you’ve been manifested) lists your official requirements 

and is derived from these public documents and the dispenser-to-LV ICD, which 

is specific to your LV. You can use the information in documents like LSPREQ-317.01, GSFC-STD-7000, and the CDS to help you get started, but your 

final CubeSat design will need to meet all of the requirements in the mission 

ICD provided to you by the mission integrator.

This chapter describes the documents involved in building your CubeSat’s set 

of requirements. It’s important for you as the developer to understand what 

these documents are and how they work together to form the requirements your 

CubeSat will need to meet to be certified for launch.
40 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

CHAPTER 4 Requirement Sources for Launch

CubeSat 

101

4.1 Mission-Specific Interface Control Documents 

(ICDs)

As stated earlier, the mission-specific ICDs form the rulebook for your Cubesat. 

That is because these documents explicitly and officially state what your CubeSat’s 

requirements are for your particular launch. If your CubeSat fails to meet any of 

these requirements, your CubeSat may not get to fly.

CubeSat missions generally have two ICDs, one to regulate the CubeSat-todispenser interfaces, and one to regulate the dispenser-to-launch vehicle interfaces. The mission-specific CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD is usually generated and 

maintained by the mission integrator. It captures all of the requirements from all 

sources and typically includes the requirements from the dispenser-to-LV ICD, 

the CDS, range safety requirements, and any other applicable documents. The 

CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD will specify all of the environmental levels for which 

you will need to test your CubeSat. That includes, but is not limited to, vibration, 

shock, thermal vacuum, and acoustic environments.

4.2 Launch Services Program (LSP)—

Program-Level Requirements

Before your mission ICD is available, you, as a CubeSat developer, will want to base 

your preliminary designs on the requirements in NASA LSP’s most recent revision 

of the Program Level Requirements (LSP-REQ-317.01). This set of requirements 

was developed specifically for CubeSats and dispensers integrated on NASA Primary 

Payload Missions where LSP has procured the launch vehicle (see the NASAProcured Launch Vehicle Mission Model in Section 3.1. The purpose of these particular requirements is to ensure that the CubeSats and dispensers will contribute no 

added risk to the primary payload. These requirements will be incorporated into the 

mission ICDs. The latest revision of LSP-REQ-317.01 can be found on the NASA 

Web site (https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/627972main_LSP-REQ-317_01A.pdf).

NASA LSP’s most recent revision 

of the Program Level Requirements 

LSP-REQ-317.0 Document. [NASA]

4.3 CubeSat Design Specifications (CDS)

The CDS is a set of general requirements used to define a standard CubeSat. 

Developers can use the CDS in the preliminary design phase, but keep in mind 

that this is not the official set of requirements that your CubeSat will need to 

meet. The most recent version can be found at http://www.cubesat.org. CubeSat Design Specifications 

Document [Cal Poly]
CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative 41

CHAPTER 4 Requirement Sources for Launch

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101

4.4 Dispenser Standards/Specifications

All CubeSat dispenser models on the market will accommodate a CubeSat 

designed to the requirements in the CDS, but each offers its own particular set of 

options. Before beginning the design process for your CubeSat, it would behoove 

you to research the differences between available dispensers. If you’re already 

familiar with each dispenser, you’ll be in a better position to make adjustments 

to your design when CSLI matches your CubeSat with a launch and specifies the 

dispenser that will be used. The specifications for each dispenser are located on 

their respective Web sites.

4.5 Federal Statutes

There are Federal laws regulating the use of CubeSats. Some are more 

obscure than others, but the most significant laws deal with radio frequency (RF) transmissions, orbital debris, re-entry risk, and Earth 

observation. 

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for 

regulating all radio transmissions generated by non-Government U.S. 

entities, including CubeSat communications. The official document 

that specifies the FCC rules for CubeSats is in the Code of Federal 

Regulations (CFR). The specific chapter is 47 CFR Part 97, but if you’d 

like a more practical discussion of the licensing process, your team can 

refer to the Licensing Procedures chapter (Chapter 5) of this document.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 

is the regulatory agency overseeing the remote sensing capabilities of 

non-Government orbiting spacecraft, including CubeSats. By “remote 

sensing,” we mean any sort of sensing capability, like picture taking or 

imaging, that your CubeSat might have. NOAA is tasked with licensing 

all spacecraft that have remote sensing capabilities that could possibly 

catch an image of Earth. If you have a sensor that could possibly glimpse 

Earth, you must contact NOAA in order to know if your CubeSat requires a 

remote sensing license. NOAA is the sole determining authority of the need for 

a license. Operators and owners should always assume a license is needed. The 

Code of Federal Regulations at 15 CFR Part 960 covers the rules regarding this 

licensing process. 

John Kolasinski (left), Ted Kostiuk 

(center), and Tilak Hewagama 

(right) hold mirrors made of carbon 

nanotubes in an epoxy resin. The 

mirror is being tested for potential use 

in a lightweight telescope specifically 

for CubeSat scientific investigations. 

[NASA/W. Hrybyk]
42 CubeSat 101: Basic Concepts and Processes for First-Time CubeSat Developers NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative

CHAPTER 4 Requirement Sources for Launch

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4.6 Range Safety Requirements

Anyone launching anything from a U.S. launch site must adhere to safety requirements intended to protect people and property on/in the surrounding land, sea 

and air. In the U.S., there are Government launch sites and commercial launch 

sites. Launches from U.S. Government launch sites within the Eastern (Kennedy 

Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station) or Western (Vandenberg 

Air Force Base) Ranges, must adhere to very particular safety requirements. 

These requirements can be found in the Air Force Space Command Manual

(AFSPCMAN 91-710), the Air Force Occupational Safety and Health Standards 

(AFOSHSTD 48-9), and the Eastern Western Range Safety Requirements (EWR 

127-1). If by chance you are launching from Wallops their Range Safety Manual 

for Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) will 

be used. Many of the requirements of these documents are encompassed in the 

CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD.

Student Bungo Shiotani from the 

University of Florida, Gainesville, 

working on the SwampSat CubeSat 

mission to demonstrate precision 

three-axis attitude control in orbit 

using a pyramidal configuration of 

control moment gyroscopes (CMG). 

The CubeSat was launched by 

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative 

on the ELaNa IV mission as an 

auxiliary payload aboard the U.S. Air 

Force-led Operationally Responsive 

Space (ORS-3) Mission on November 

19, 2013. [University of Florida, 

Gainesville]
43

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5Licensing 

Procedures

IN THIS CHAPTER

5.1 Radio Frequency (RF) Licensing

5.2 Remote Sensing

Pictured above: 

University of Kentucky students Jason 

Rexroat and Alex Clements working on 

KySat-2 a technology demonstration 

CubeSat mission developed by students 

from the University of Kentucky in 

Lexington, Kentucky that builds 

upon KySat-1 by expanding the K-12 

outreach goals to interest students to 

science, technology, engineering and 

mathematics (STEM) fields and space 

technology. It also will test components 

of a novel attitude determination 

system called a Stellar Gyroscope that 

uses sequences of digital pictures 

to determine the three-axis rotation 

rate of the satellite. Launched by 

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative on 

the ELaNa IV mission as an auxiliary 

payload aboard the U.S. Air Forceled Operationally Responsive Space 

(ORS-3) Mission on November 19, 2013. 

[University of Kentucky]

We’ve explained the importance of obtaining proper licensing for your 

CubeSat. This chapter will help you determine which licenses to pursue 

and how to get them. Like we’ve stated before, any CubeSat that can transmit RF 

or take images and that is owned or operated by a U.S.-based organization will 

be required to obtain specific licenses and/or authorizations. For non–U.S.-based 

organizations, licensing of RF operations will be required by the organization’s 

national regulatory authority.

As you develop your CubeSat, you should check the source references provided in each chapter to verify that you are following the current procedures and requirements. The rules and requirements change over time, and 

you will need make sure you are up-to-date so that your licensing process goes as 

smoothly as possible.

5.1 Radio Frequency (RF) Licensing

CubeSat licenses have different classifications depending on who the primary 

operator of the CubeSat will be and how it is to be used. Each classification has 

its own set of requirements and procedures. In this chapter, we’ll help you understand the differences between the types of licenses and which will be appropriate 

for your CubeSat mission.

While it’s not critical for you to know everything that goes on behind the curtain, you may want to have an idea of how your paperwork is being processed. 

You can find information online about CubeSat licensing. There are a number of 
44

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CHAPTER 5 Licensing Procedures

Web sites run by amateur operators, other developers, and Government agencies (FCC, NASA 

Spectrum, etc.) that break down the licensing 

process in greater detail. More comprehensive 

information can be found in FCC1

 and NASA 

Spectrum2

 guidance documents. 

1 FCC Guidance on Obtaining Licenses for Small Satellites (DA: 13-445) (http://

www.fcc.gov/document/guidance-obtaining-licenses-small-satellites)

2 Spectrum Guidance for NASA Small Satellite Missions (https://www.nasa.gov/

directorates/heo/scan/spectrum/policy_and_guidance.html)

Prior to finalizing any design, operations plans or 

submitting license requests, you should understand the core regulatory rules including technical constraints that are in place to enable sharing 

between systems in certain frequency bands. You 

do not want to design and build a system that violates regulatory rules since during the licensing 

process you may not be able to correct any issues 

found. Projects may want to consult with organizations or individuals familiar with spectrum 

regulations during the design phase to ensure 

compliance. Depending on the type of mission, the mission integrator may also 

help your team obtain the RF license for your CubeSat.

Students from the University 

of Michigan holding The 

Geostationary Coastal and Air 

Pollution Events (GEO-CAPE) 

Read-Out Integrated Circuit 

(ROIC) In-Flight Performance 

Experiment (GRIFEX) 3U CubeSat 

mission developed by the Jet 

Propulsion Laboratory and students 

from the University of Michigan who 

will perform engineering assessment 

of a JPL-developed, all digital, in-pixel 

high frame rate ROIC. Launched by 

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative on 

the ELaNa X as an auxiliary payload 

aboard the Soil Moisture Active 

Passive (SMAP) Mission on January 

31, 2015. [University of Michigan]

License Types

• Amateur: Designed specifically for amateur radio enthusiasts and to 

serve the amateur radio community.

• Commercial: For commercial use, not applicable for non-commercial 

university-based CubeSats or CSLI selectees.

• Experimental: For radio frequency emitting systems on spacecraft containing experiments. Typical license for university CubeSats or CSLI 

selectees.

• Government: For spacecraft that operate radio frequency systems that 

“belong to and are operated by” any U.S. Government agency.
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CHAPTER 5 Licensing Procedures

Amateur—FCC Part 97

This is the simplest case, but the most difficult to qualify for; very few CubeSats 

qualify for purely amateur designation. This designation is intended for satellites 

that will be used by amateur operators only. There can be no Government or 

commercial involvement in the development or operation of the CubeSat. So, if 

your CubeSat project is being funded by a Government grant, you are disqualified from getting an amateur designation. It’s important to note that, when 

determining amateur status, the FCC focuses on who the operator is, and 

NOAA focuses on who the owner of the CubeSat is. 

Amateur satellites are typically used to help operators to self-train and perform 

intercommunication and technical investigations. The satellite operates within 

a range of frequency bands that are allocated to the Amateur-Satellite Service, 

which have been set aside for radio operators with purely noncommercial purposes. One group that consistently develops amateur CubeSats is the Radio 

Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT). They’re a largely volunteer group interested in advancing space education, science, and technology. If you’re interested 

in learning what an amateur class CubeSat project looks like, you can visit their 

Web site, http://www.amsat.org/. The AMSAT Fox-1 CubeSat primary 

focus was education and it hosted a 

communications package specifically 

designed to be easy-to-use, requiring 

only a simple walkie-talkie–style 

radio combined with a small handheld antenna. Using amateur radio 

frequencies, it was open and 

available to the general public. Fox-1 

was launched by NASA’s CubeSat 

Launch Initiative on the ELaNa XII 

mission as an auxiliary payload 

aboard the NROL-55 Mission on 

October 8, 2015. [AMSAT]

A satellite with an amateur license isn’t limited to transmitting over the United 

States; this means that the satellite can communicate with ground stations located 

anywhere in the world. The transmissions cannot be encrypted in any way and 

must consist of open information (i.e., nothing that’s supposed to be a secret or 

proprietary). The eligibility rules are listed in 47 CFR Part 97.

Unlike other licenses, an amateur satellite license is not a stand-alone license, but 

an addition to the radio operator’s existing amateur license. Although the operator does not have to obtain a new license, and there is less paperwork to complete, 

it is not a trivial process. Any person who will be operating an amateur satellite is 

required to have an amateur operator license. Information on how to obtain this 

license for your team members can be found on the FCC’s Web site.

Any amateur (or experimental-licensed) spacecraft that use frequency bands allocated to the Amateur-Satellite Service must coordinate with the International 

Amateur Radio Union (IARU). Immediately after the CubeSat is manifested, if 

not earlier, a frequency coordination request should be sent to the IARU to ask for 

a frequency assignment for the CubeSat transmitter. Information can be found 

on the IARU Web site at http://www.iaru.org/satellite.html. Because the IARU 

is made up of volunteers across the world, they only meet periodically to review 
46

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CHAPTER 5 Licensing Procedures

applications. This means each review cycle can take a significant amount of time. 

Thus, it is strongly suggested that you have someone with previous experience 

working with the IARU to review your application before you submit it, in order 

to reduce the likelihood of your application being kicked back for corrections. 

IARU will respond to your frequency coordination request with a coordination 

letter that will identify the frequency to which your CubeSat has been assigned. 

As soon as you have your frequency assignment letter from IARU, you will be 

able to assemble the FCC documentation. The licensed amateur operator will 

need to submit what’s referred to as a prelaunch notification no later than 30 days 

after being manifested. If there’s only a short timeframe between manifest and 

integration to the launch vehicle, then the prelaunch notification must also be 

submitted (no later than 90 days before integration).

DID YOU KNOW?

What’s the IARU?

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is an international agency run by 

volunteers who are based in countries around the world, who coordinate what 

group will be allowed to use which radio frequencies in the amateur band. As 

you can imagine, lots of people are transmitting for various reasons all day, 

everyday. To avoid transmissions interfering with each other by using the same 

frequency, IARU keeps track of which amateur frequencies are available and 

assigns the unused bands upon request. That’s why the FCC requires CubeSat 

developers to contact the IARU for an amateur frequency assignment before an 

RF license can be processed.

For an amateur license, the FCC will need the following:

• IARU coordination letter 

• Satellite orbital debris mitigation compliance document (discussed in 

Chapter 6)

• SpaceCap notice: the SpaceCap software can be downloaded from 

http://www.itu.int) 

• Prelaunch notification letter with general mission and satellite information

Note: The FCC won’t request your SpaceCap file until after the initial application submission.

On certain types of missions, the above information is e-mailed by the 

mission integrator to the FCC International Bureau and copied to 

amsat.spacecap@fcc.gov.

SpaceCap notice: The Space 

notification system PC Capture, 

or SpaceCap, is a software file 

containing information about 

transmitting stations in space, 

including details about antennas, 

transmitters, and the station itself. 

The file is created by PC-based 

software that can be downloaded 

for free from the International 

Telecommunications Union (ITU) 

Web site.
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CHAPTER 5 Licensing Procedures

Experimental—FCC Part 5

Although very few CubeSats qualify as purely amateur 

radio stations, non-Federal CubeSats that involve radio 

frequency use “for the purposes of experimentation, product development, and market trials,” not commercial operations, may seek licensing under the FCC experimental 

licensing rules (Part 5). Most university or nonprofit organization based systems, such as those supported by NASA’s 

CubeSat Launch Initiative, qualify for FCC experimental 

licensing. 

The process for submitting an experimental license application depends on the duration of the mission. 

• Special Temporary Authority (STA) Form

should be used for experiments lasting less 

than six months. The STA application form is 

online: https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/forms/

STANotificationPage.cfm

• Form 422 should be used for experiments lasting longer than six months. The process for submitting an application for FCC experimental 

licensing is described online at https://apps.fcc.

gov/oetcf/els/forms/442Entry.cfm.

The BisonSat mission is an Earth 

Science mission that will demonstrate 

the acquisition of 100-meter or 

better resolution visible light imagery 

of Earth using passive magnetic 

stabilization from a CubeSat. 

BisonSat is the first CubeSat 

designed, built, tested, and operated 

by tribal college students. Launched 

by NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative 

on the ELaNa XII mission as an 

auxiliary payload aboard the NROL55 Mission on October 8, 2015. 

[Salish Kootenai College]

Experimental licenses are not limited to a particular frequency band; however, 

CubeSats using frequency bands allocated to the Federal Government on an 

exclusive or shared basis are required to coordinate with U.S. Federal agencies. 

The FCC will initiate this coordination as part of the application process; however, projects are highly encouraged to seek guidance prior to developing any 

systems in such bands. Careful attention must be made since special circumstances may apply. In addition, CubeSats using frequency bands allocated to the 

Amateur-Satellite Service must coordinate with the IARU (see Amateur section 

about IARU coordination).

CubeSats must also comply with technical constraints as specified by FCC regulations. Experimentally licensed CubeSats must operate on a non-interference basis neither causing interference to or claiming interference from fully 

licensed systems. To address any possible interference, FCC regulations require 

that all CubeSats have the capacity to cease emissions. To enable sharing in some 
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bands, CubeSats may also need to limit emissions below certain power levels. 

These are just a couple of the types of constraints that projects need to consider 

in the design and operations of radio frequency systems. 

Cubesat developers are responsible for gathering all necessary information 

required for licensing prior to submitting a license request—delays in licensing 

are often due to incomplete data. 

For an experimental license, the FCC will need the following:

 Form 442 or STA form: containing directed questions concerning general mission, satellite and radio frequency equipment information; 

additional information may also be needed;

 EXHIBIT: If a Government contract is involved, a narrative statement describing the contract circumstances

 EXHIBIT: Research project and/or experimental purpose description 

including detailed information about communication facilities 

and operations (e.g., ground support)

 Satellite orbital debris mitigation compliance document (discussed in 

Chapter 6)

 IARU coordination letter: for systems using Amateur-Satellite Service 

bands

 International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Cost Recovery letter: 

projects are responsible for paying the fees for international coordination filings

 Fee-exempt status letter (if applicable)

 NOAA Remote Sensing license: or letter indicated that such licensing 

is not needed

 SpaceCap notice: the SpaceCap software can be downloaded from 

http://www.itu.int.

Note: The FCC won’t request your SpaceCap file until after the initial application 

submission.
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Chuck Clagett, Larry Kepko, and 

Michael Johnson were instrumental in 

developing the Dellingr 6U CubeSat 

shown here inside NASA’s Goddard 

Space Flight Center magnetic 

calibration facility. Dellingr was 

manifested on the ELaNa 22 mission 

that launched on the SpaceX-12 on 

August 14, 2017. [NASA/W. Hrybyk]

As with the other types of licenses, the application process for an experimental 

license needs to start as soon as possible—preferably within 30 days after your 

CubeSat is manifested or earlier. The FCC requires a minimum of 90 days from 

the receipt of your application to issue a license, therefore complete FCC applications should be submitted in a timely manner.

Before your application can be submitted, CubeSats using frequency bands allocated to the Amateur-Satellite Service must send an experimental coordination 

request to the IARU asking for a frequency assignment for the CubeSat transmitter. This should be done immediately after the CubeSat is manifested, if not 

earlier. That is because the IARU is made up of volunteers from across the world 

and they only meet periodically to review applications. This means each review 

cycle can take a significant amount of time. Thus, it is strongly suggested that you 

submit your request early and have someone with previous experience working 

with the IARU to review your application before you submit it, in order to reduce 

the likelihood of your application being kicked back for corrections. When your 

application has been approved, the IARU will then send you a coordination letter 

identifying which frequency the satellite has been assigned. 
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Once you receive the assignment letter, you will be able to begin assembly of 

the application packet for the FCC. The process for submitting an application 

for experimental licenses is very similar to the process for applying for an amateur license, but instead of a prelaunch notification, you will need to submit 

FCC Form 442 online or if your mission is expected to operate for less than 6 

months, a Special Temporary Authority (STA) form can be submitted instead. 

The appended documents are the same, but the STA application requires less 

information from the applicant. 

The FCC requires a minimum of 90 days from the receipt of your application to license issuance, therefore—and this can’t be stressed enough—FCC 

applications should be submitted ASAP. 

Complete, detailed information is necessary otherwise license requests will bring 

about lengthy queries seeking additional information. Early, but incomplete 

license submissions do not confer any benefits. All required data for licensing 

should have been gathered and reviewed during the requirements, design, and 

review phases, so there is no reason not to have a complete application prior to 

the time needed to file. CXBN, the Cosmic X-Ray 

Background NanoSat was 

developed and built by students 

from Morehead State University 

in Kentucky. Its primary purpose 

is to increase the precision of 

measurements of the Cosmic X-Ray 

Background in the 30–50 KeV range. 

Launched by NASA’s CubeSat 

Launch Initiative on the ELaNa VI 

mission as an auxiliary payload 

aboard the NROL-36 Mission on 

November 13, 2012. [Morehead 

State University]

Commercial Satellite—FCC Part 25

Satellite operations for commercial purposes must obtain licensing through FCC 

Part 25 processes. This document does not address such commercial systems.

Note: U.S. Government entities are prohibited from using FCC licenses for 

CubeSat operation.

Government

The process for obtaining a Federal Government CubeSat certification and authorization is different from the process for securing FCC licensing. The NTIA is the 

governing agency for Federal Government satellites (i.e., satellites that “belong to 

and operated” by a Federal agency), so there is no need to submit an FCC application. The frequency authorization process is well defined by the NTIA Manual 

of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency Management (available 

online on the NTIA Web site3

). Your CubeSat’s team will work directly with the 

appropriate Federal agency Spectrum Management Office to pursue system spectrum certification and frequency authorization. For example, NASA CubeSat 

3 https://www.ntia.doc.gov/page/2011/manual-regulations-and-proceduresfederal-radio-frequency-management-redbook
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teams would work with their NASA Center’s Spectrum Office. The mission integrator will have little to do with this type of licensing process, aside from regularly bugging you about the status. For missions designated as NASA (Federal), 

detailed information about the process can be found in the NASA/Spectrum4

guidance document.

4 Spectrum Guidance for NASA Small Satellite Missions (https://www.nasa.gov/

directorates/heo/scan/spectrum/policy_and_guidance.html)

5.2 Remote Sensing

Not all CubeSats will need a remote sensing license from NOAA, but if you 

have a non–Federal Government CubeSat with any type of active or passive 

imager, you must obtain a remote sensing license from NOAA’s Commercial 

Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs (CRSRA). While the mission integrator will help with the RF licensing process on some types of missions, CubeSat 

developers are solely responsible for obtaining the remote sensing license from 

NOAA CRSRA.

You should start the process of applying for a remote sensing license by filling 

out the one-page Initial Contact Form, found on the NOAA CRSRA Web site at 

http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/CRSRA. After NOAA has reviewed the form, they 

will determine if your sensors require a license. If a license is required, they will 

contact you for further information. Once NOAA has made their determination 

either way, they will notify your team by letter or e-mail.

If a license is required, your team must send a written application to the Assistant 

Administrator, NOAA Satellite and Information Services. Contact information 

can be found on the NOAA CRSRA Web site at http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/

CRSRA/. There is no application form, but the required information is listed in 

Appendix 1 of 15 CFR Part 960. Submissions should be compiled in the same 

order as listed in the appendix, and all fields in the application must be addressed 

even if the answer is “none” or “N/A.”

For imagers designed to only take images of Earth, the application process is 

fairly straightforward, and approval takes approximately 120 days following submission (separate from the initial contact form). NOAA will provide feedback 

on draft applications prior to formal submission to help smooth out the process. 

If the CubeSat is to image anything other than Earth (i.e. other CubeSats, LV 
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upper stage during deployment, etc.), an NEI (Non-Earth Imaging) waiver will 

need to be submitted as part of your application, which can add a significant 

amount of time to the application process. Be sure to notify the mission integrator as soon as possible of the details of your NOAA application. If the application 

needs to be updated during the process, especially to add an NEI waiver, this will 

restart the process from the beginning, so be sure to consider the mission operations prior to submitting your application. 

Students from the University of 

Colorado Boulder sharing information 

about the MinXSS mission with NASA 

Administrator Charlie Bolden. MinXSS 

is a science investigation to study solar 

flares, active regions, the quiescent 

Sun, and their impact on Earth’s upper 

atmosphere built by students from 

the University of Colorado at Boulder. 

Launched by NASA’s CubeSat Launch 

Initiative on the December 6, 2015 

ELaNa IX mission on the fourth OrbitalATK Cygnus Commercial Resupply 

Services (CRS) to the Space Station 

and deployed on May 16, 2016. 

[University of Colorado at Boulder]

WARNING!

If your licenses are not finalized before your CubeSat is integrated into its 

dispenser, your CubeSat will not fly on that mission. It’s crucial to follow up on 

all paperwork and make sure there are no delays in the process.

As a CubeSat operator, you will have some post-launch licensing responsibilities. You must maintain the imaging license by submitting to regular audits and 

on-site inspections of the CubeSat’s ground station and mission control center. 

The auditor will check to make sure you’ve maintained the security precautions 

that were specified in your license approval.
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Flight Certification Documentation

62Flight Certification FNAM Process

Documentation

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101

IN THIS CHAPTER

6.1 Orbital Debris Mitigation 

Compliance

6.2 Transmitter Surveys

6.3 Materials List

6.4 Mass Properties Report

6.5 Battery Report

6.6 Dimensional Verifications

6.7 Electrical Report

6.8 Venting Analysis

6.9 Testing Procedures/Reports

6.9.1 Day In The Life (DITL)

6.9.2 Dynamic Environment 

Testing (Vibration/Shock)

6.9.3 Thermal Vacuum Bakeout 

Testing

6.10 Compliance Letter

6.11 Safety Package Inputs (e.g., 

Missile System Prelaunch Safety 

Package, Flight Safety Panel)

Pictured above: 

ASTERIA Spacecraft final 

closeout at the Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory. [JPL]

This is where the rubber meets the road: now you must show the mission integrator, and CSLI, that your CubeSat is ready to fly. Each CubeSat developer 

will need to supply specific documentation (i.e., deliverables or verification evidence) showing that their CubeSat meets all of the requirements of the mission. 

The mission integrator will receive the deliverables and verify all requirements 

have been met. When all items have been submitted and accepted, the approval 

for flight can be granted. Typically, the first of the deliverables will be due about 

10 months before the CubeSat is to be delivered to the integration site. 

It is possible that your CubeSat design will change slightly during the mission cycle (i.e., the time between mission kickoff and CubeSat delivery), so it’s 

important to keep the mission integrator aware of all changes and issues 

encountered during the development of your CubeSat.

This chapter will outline the documents and describe the content typically 

required for approval for flight. But remember, the mission integrator will supply 

your team with the official list of deliverables for your mission, as well as specific 

information that must be included in each document.
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Flight Certification Documentation List

1. Orbital Debris Assessment Report 

(ODAR), or similar, showing 

compliance inputs

2. Transmitter surveys

3. Materials list

4. Mass properties report

5. Battery report

6. Dimensional verifications

7. Electrical report

8. Venting analysis

9. Testing procedures/reports 

10. Compliance letter

11. Safety package inputs 

(e.g., Missile System Prelaunch 

Safety Package—or MSPSP, flight 

safety panel)

6.1 Orbital Debris Mitigation Compliance

Orbital debris mitigation compliance is documented in an Orbital Debris 

Assessment Report (ODAR), or similar document (however, for the purposes of 

this guide, we’ll call everything an ODAR), and is the document that assures all 

interested parties that your CubeSat won’t pose an unacceptable hazard to other 

orbiting spacecraft, will deorbit in a reasonable amount of time, and that no 

unacceptably large piece of your CubeSat is going to survive reentry when it deorbits and burns up in the atmosphere. The ODAR demonstrates compliance with 

FCC, NOAA, or NASA requirements for safing and/or disposal of the spacecraft 

and orbital debris mitigation requirements. The documentation required depends 

on which U.S. Government agency has “jurisdiction” over your CubeSat as an 

on-orbit satellite. In general, if you will be required to get an FCC license, then 

you will need to meet the FCC’s regulations on orbital debris mitigation and provide a publicly-releasable document for their records. For CSLI CubeSats, this has 

traditionally been satisfied by providing the FCC the CubeSat-specific appendix 

from the mission’s ODAR developed by NASA LSP (see next paragraph). 

For CSLI CubeSats, an ODAR document will be generated by NASA LSP using 

information provided by the CubeSat developer. The CubeSat developer will provide documents that include a mission description (including an expanded view 

image of the spacecraft) and a list of all components on the satellite, identifying 

the mass, shape, volume, and material of each. Be sure to note in the components’ 

descriptions any hazardous and exotic materials, propulsion, pressure vessels, and 

power storage (include any UL numbers for batteries). Templates for each of these 

two documents can be found in Appendix C. 

> FREE ADVICE

CHOOSE LOW MELTING POINTS. It 

is strongly recommended that 

you avoid the use of materials 

with high-melting points in 

your CubeSat design (e.g., use 

aluminum and steel as opposed 

to tantalum, titanium, or tungsten). 

If any of your satellite’s materials 

survive reentry, they pose a threat 

to people and property. Use of 

such materials could lead to a 

constraint in licensing requiring 

you to purchase insurance for 

such an unfortunate occurrence. 
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For non-Government, non-CSLI CubeSats flying on a mission that requires the 

CubeSat developer to provide their own ODAR, the developer should reference 

the FCC requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations at 47 CFR 25.114(d)

(14)5

 and, as appropriate, the NOAA requirements at 15 CFR 960 (Appendix 1 

to Part 960, Section V,C.).6

 The developer may use NASA’s Debris Assessment 

Software (DAS) to complete the analysis and report. You can find the software 

here: https://www.orbitaldebris.jsc.nasa.gov/mitigation/das.html. The DAS User’s 

Guide gives step-by-step instructions on how to use DAS to complete the assessment. Note that the FCC’s and NOAA’s requirements are, for the most part, a 

subset of the requirements imposed by NASA on NASA projects. 

5 https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2016-title47-vol2/pdf/CFR-2016-title47-

vol2-part25-subpartB.pdf

6 https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2017-title15-vol3/pdf/CFR-2017-title15-

vol3-part960.pdf

Drafts of your ODAR documentation will likely be among the first deliverables 

due. Changes in design as development continues will mean you need to revise 

and resubmit the documents. Without an approved ODAR, NOAA and FCC 

licenses will not be granted, and the CubeSat cannot be approved for flight.

The St. Thomas More Cathedral School 

students working on STMSat-1, an 

education mission to provide handson, inquiry-based learning activities 

with an on-orbit mission to photograph 

the Earth and transmit images to their 

primary ground station and to remote 

ground stations throughout the country. 

STMSat-1 was the first CubeSat 

NASA launched for a primary school. 

Launched by NASA’s CubeSat Launch 

Initiative on the December 6, 2015 

ELaNa IX mission on the fourth OrbitalATK Cygnus Commercial Resupply 

Services (CRS) to the Space Station and 

deployed on May 16, 2016. [St. Thomas 

More Cathedral School]

6.2 Transmitter Surveys

The transmitter survey is a series of questions about the CubeSat’s communication system. The information from the survey will be used to help the LV 

provider perform EMI/EMC analysis and will be included in the MSPSP (see 

Chapter 6.11) to verify that the CubeSat meets RF inhibit requirements. A template for this document can be found in Appendix C.

A draft of this deliverable will likely be another of the first documents due. If you 

make any changes in your design relevant to the transmitter after the transmitter 

survey is submitted, you will need to revise and resubmit the document.

6.3 Materials List

The materials list will be used on CSLI missions to verify that no dangerous or 

prohibited items have been incorporated into your CubeSat design. The materials 

list is usually a Word document identifying every material used on the CubeSat 
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along with its mass (or expected mass), its location on the CubeSat, and its outgassing properties including Total Mass Loss (TML) and Collected Volatile 

Condensible Materials (CVCM). NASA has published outgassing properties for 

most materials used in CubeSats; this information can be found at http://outgassing.nasa.gov. Most ICDs use the outgassing limits identified in the CDS 

requirements. A template for this document can be found in Appendix C.

outgassing: In the spacecraft 

industry, outgassing refers to 

the sublimation or evaporation 

of materials as those materials 

are taken to a high-vacuum 

environment like space. The 

material that is lost to outgassing 

can find its way onto sensitive 

components and possibly affect a 

mission’s success.

Like the ODAR documents, a draft of this document will likely be among the 

first deliverables due. Any changes in your design during the development will 

require revision of the document and resubmission.

6.4 Mass Properties Report

The mass properties report identifies the CubeSat’s total mass, center of gravity (CG), moments of inertia (MOIs), and products of inertia (POI) relative to 

each axis. The first draft of this report will be among the first deliverables due. 

This gives the mission integrator and the LV provider adequate time to use the 

mass property information in their analyses. The LV provider will use your initial 

mass estimates for their own LV load calculations. The mass properties that your 

CubeSat ends up with after being built must remain within your expected tolerances so that the LV provider’s calculations will remain valid. 

> FREE ADVICE

CHOOSE LOW-OUTGASSING. When 

designing your CubeSat, use 

materials that are considered 

“low-outgassing.” If you do 

this, it’s possible that your 

team can avoid performing a 

thermal vacuum bakeout (see 

Chapter 6.9.3, Thermal Vacuum 

Bakeout Testing). The bakeout 

is a prelaunch measure used to 

force the CubeSat components’ 

materials to outgas in a safe 

The first draft of the report will be reviewed to ensure the predicted mass and laboratory environment.

CG locations meet the ICD requirements. The final mass properties report will 

include the CubeSat’s measured total mass and must be submitted as soon as 

possible after the final flight unit is complete.

If your final mass properties numbers are out of tolerance, it’s possible the CubeSat 

will be demanifested. This is because a mass that is outside of the LV provider’s 

analysis creates an unknown risk to the LV and its primary mission.

In addition to providing mass properties information, the mass properties report 

will typically be used to verify the CubeSat’s coordinate system with a drawing 

or schematic included in the report. 

> FREE ADVICE

CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE MASS 

ESTIMATE MARGINS. When you 

submit your data estimates for 

the early LV provider’s analyses, 

be sure to include large, but 

still reasonable, margins on all 

values. (Check with your mission 

integrator for advice on margins 

for your estimated values.) When 

the first mass properties draft is 

due, most CubeSats are still in the 

development stages, so it’s not 

unusual for designs to change and 

thus affect the mass properties.
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6.5 Battery Report

The information provided in the battery report will be used to verify that proper 

battery circuit protection is in place. Some mission integrators will require a 

standalone report, while others may review a portion of the MSPSP in place of 

the standalone report (the MSPSP will include all of this information). The mission integrator will sometimes require a battery lot testing report as well.

Specific information required for the battery report is listed below.

• Battery dimensions

• Battery UL number

• Manufacturer specification sheet

• Manufacturer part number

• Mass

• Battery model number

• Battery manufacturer

• Number of cells and their configuration (i.e., wired in series or parallel)

• Discharge characteristics

• Charge characteristics

• Lithium battery short circuit test

• Safety circuit diagram

• If battery has been modified, provide all modification documentation

• Technical datasheet that verifies battery circuit protection exists for battery charging/discharging

Daniel Perez, Ph.D., a graduate student 

from the University of Miami, displays 

a piece of the prototype structure for a 

new solid-state battery in the Prototype 

Laboratory at NASA’s Kennedy Space 

Center in Florida. The size of the battery 

is so small that it could be a prime 

candidate for use in microsatellites, 

including CubeSats. [NASA]

6.6 Dimensional Verifications

Your CubeSat will be expected to adhere to the dimensional requirements specified in the CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD. The mission integrator will require the 

developer to perform a dimensional check after assembly, and prior to any environmental testing, to ensure the CubeSat will fit into its flight dispenser. It’s 

important to check your CubeSat’s dimensions often (before and after environmental testing at a minimum).
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A dimensional checklist example (CubeSat Acceptance Checklist, or CAC) can 

be found in Appendix C. This is not an official template and may differ significantly from what your mission integrator provides you, but it will give you an 

idea of what will be expected.

6.7 Electrical Report

An electrical report will be used to verify a number of requirements listed in 

the CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD (e.g., number of RF inhibits, CubeSat being 

self-contained). 

Specific information typically required for the electrical report is listed below.

• Diagram of the electrical power systems 

• Highlights for the electrical inhibits within the electrical diagram

• Identification of real-time clock circuitry within the diagram (if 

applicable)

• Identification of the Remove Before Flight (RBF) pin within the diagram 

(if applicable)

Remove Before Flight (RBF) 

pin: The RBF pin is a physical 

object that separates the 

CubeSat’s power system from the 

rest of the circuitry (particularly 

the central processor). Ideally, 

the RBF pin is removed after the 

CubeSat is integrated into the 

flight dispenser, but it can be 

removed just prior to integration.

• Identification of the separation switch(es) within the diagram (if 

applicable)

separation switches: The 

separation switches on the 

CubeSat are usually located on 

the ends of the CubeSat rails. 

When depressed (as they will 

be in the dispenser) they will 

physically separate the power 

system circuitry from the rest 

of the CubeSat circuitry. When 

the CubeSat is ejected from the 

dispenser into orbit, the switches 

will no longer be depressed and 

will allow the CubeSat circuitry to 

connect to the power system.

• Clear explanation of the number of inhibits and how they function

independent inhibit: An inhibit 

is a physical device between 

a power source and a hazard. 

A timer is not considered an 

independent inhibit.

6.8 Venting Analysis

As the launch vehicle ascends out of the atmosphere, it does so quickly, and the 

surrounding air pressure decreases quickly. It is a concern that somewhere inside 

your CubeSat is a trapped pocket of air that could possibly burst through the 

structure during ascent. This could create a dangerous situation for the LV and 

other payloads on the launch. 

The venting analysis deliverable is a relatively simple report that uses diagrams 

and some basic mathematics to show the mission integrator that your CubeSat has 

adequate venting to prevent the explosive decompression of any container in your 

CubeSat as it makes the quick transition from standard atmosphere to vacuum. 

The venting analysis will clearly identify the ventable and non-ventable volumes, 

and the venting area locations on the CubeSat. It will show that the internal 
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volume of air will safely evacuate through these venting locations. The CubeSatto-dispenser ICD will typically have a requirement for the acceptable venting 

rate. If there are any volumes that cannot meet the requirement, additional analysis or testing may need to be performed by the CubeSat developer to show that 

the structure is strong enough to handle the change in external air pressure.

The mission integrator will likely provide a report template to the CubeSat teams 

on any CSLI mission.

6.9 Testing Procedures/Reports

A report will need to be submitted for each test used to verify CubeSat-todispenser ICD requirements. The reports will state which requirements are being 

verified and the specific evidence in the report that verifies each requirement. A 

copy of the signed, as-run test procedures should be included in the report, along 

with pictures of the as-run test setup. These reports will likely be the last deliverables submitted, since they can only be written after completion of the flight unit 

build. Generally, any data gathered from informal testing on an engineering unit 

does not need to be included in this report. 

It’s important to report any anomalies encountered during and after testing, 

(including informal testing). So, what qualifies as an anomaly? An anomaly is 

anything that affects the ability of your hardware to meet the requirements, such 

as: damage to any part of the CubeSat, unexpected release of deployables, strange 

rattles, unexpected transmissions, evidence of unexpected power-on, or anything 

else that could impact your schedule including anomalies with the test apparatus 

itself. When in doubt, ask the mission integrator. If an anomaly occurs during 

testing, you should stop the test, notify the mission integrator immediately, and 

discuss paths forward before proceeding.

> FREE ADVICE

GET FEEDBACK ON TEST PROCEDURES 

BEFORE TESTING. It’s advisable, 

and may be required, to send your 

testing procedures to the mission 

integrator for review before your 

team starts testing. If there’s 

anything vital that’s missing in 

the procedures, the mission 

integrator will catch it and have 

you correct the issue before you 

start. If you don’t have your test 

plans reviewed before testing, it’s 

entirely possible that you will have 

to retest your flight hardware.

6.9.1 Day In The Life (DITL) Testing

This test shows that your CubeSat’s electronics and flight software work as 

expected. The ICD will have requirements for when the CubeSat is allowed to 

release its deployables and when it can start transmitting after being ejected from 

the dispenser. It will also have requirements on the minimum number of inhibits 

that will prevent early power-up of the CubeSat systems. This test will verify all 

of those things. 
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The DITL report will show that the CubeSat’s timers and inhibit design function 

correctly, adhering to the appropriate mission ICD requirements. This test must 

be run with the final flight software and in most cases will be required to be completed prior to environmental testing. This will allow the CubeSat to demonstrate 

when the deployables will be released without invalidating the vibration testing.

After you’ve completed the DITL testing, you are not allowed to change any 

piece of code in the software for any reason. Doing so will invalidate your test, 

and the mission integrator will require you to perform a retest and submit a new 

test report.

DID YOU KNOW?

How DITL testing works

In order to prove to the mission 

integrator that your CubeSat 

software will work as planned, you’ll 

perform the DITL testing. The idea 

is to recreate what happens to your 

CubeSat when it’s released from the 

dispenser. To do this, you will start 

by removing the RBF pin with the 

separation switch(es) depressed, 

just as if it were inside the dispenser. 

Then, to simulate the CubeSat 

being ejected, you will release the 

separation switch(es) and time how 

long it takes for the CubeSat to 

start transmitting and release its 

deployables. If this time is more than 

the minimum required in the ICD, the 

CubeSat meets that requirement.

The mission integrator will supply a report template, possibly with a generic set of 

procedures, but the test will need to be tailored to your CubeSat’s specific inhibit 

structure. Your test procedure must be approved by the mission integrator prior 

to testing.

Minimum Report Content

• As-run procedures with all steps time stamped

• Proof that separation switches function as required

• Proof that timers function as required 

• Simulation of flight-like release of deployables 

• Time of deployment 

• Time of first transmission

Note: If you don’t want your CubeSat to release its deployables for this test, you 

only need to show that they won’t be released within the minimum post–deployment time specified in the CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD.

6.9.2 Dynamic Environment Testing (Vibration/Shock)

The ride up to space on a typical LV can be pretty bumpy. Your CubeSat will 

be subjected to a dynamic environment that shakes it really hard. The strength 

of these levels of vibration or shock can be higher or lower depending on the 

specific LV and the dispenser mounting configuration on the LV. The point of 

dynamic environment testing (also called environmental testing) is to show that 

your CubeSat will survive the vibrations and shocks that it will experience during 

launch. The CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD will specify the levels at which you’ll need 

to shake your CubeSat for this test, as well as how long the test will need to last. 

HaloSat, developed by the University 

of Iowa, is a science mission to map 

the distribution of hot gas in the Milky 

Way and to determine whether it fills an 

extended halo or the halo is compact 

with little contribution to the total mass 

of the galaxy. It will detect X-rays from 

oxygen ions in the hot Galactic halo. 

[Blue Canyon Technologies, Inc.]
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There are two common types of dynamic testing: shock and vibration. Vibration 

testing (commonly referred to as vibe testing) is required for all launches, but 

the launch vehicle provider does not always require shock testing. Testing can 

be done in your own testing facilities, but if you don’t have the required capabilities, there are commercial testing facilities that you can work with for a price. 

Costs can sometimes be managed if multiple CubeSats on the same manifest 

can share the test setup simultaneously—such as during shock testing. If your 

organization has access to vibe or shock testing facilities (through a connection 

to a local university, for example), that can be an inexpensive alternative to using 

a commercial facility. 

Your environmental testing reports need to show that your CubeSat flight unit 

was tested to the levels prescribed in the CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD. It also needs 

to show that the CubeSat was structurally intact after testing (verified by visual 

inspection, and from responses of pre- and post- test sine sweeps), and that the 

CubeSat did not transmit or power-on in accordance with the ICD requirements. 

The mission integrator will supply a template for the test procedure and report. 

The report must include the control/input data, response of the test article (if 

applicable), and pictures of the test setup, with special attention given to the 

accelerometer locations. Before testing can begin, the mission integrator needs to 

review your testing procedures to make sure the test will verify all of the appropriate ICD requirements.

Salish Kootenai College student 

Zachary DuMontier tests solar 

panels on BisonSat. The BisonSat 

mission is an Earth Science mission 

that will demonstrate the acquisition 

of 100-meter or better resolution 

visible light imagery of Earth using 

passive magnetic stabilization from a 

CubeSat. BisonSat is the first CubeSat 

designed, built, tested, and operated 

by tribal college students. Launched by 

NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative on 

the ELaNa XII mission as an auxiliary 

payload aboard the NROL-55 Mission 

on October 8, 2015. [Salish Kootenai 

College]

After you’ve completed the environmental testing, you are not allowed to 

make any physical changes to the hardware (i.e., no removing panels, no 

unscrewing fasteners, no releasing deployables, etc.) for any reason. Doing 

so will invalidate your test, and the mission integrator will require you to perform 

a retest and submit another test report.

Minimum Report Content

• As-run procedures with all steps time-stamped

• Photos of the test setup, including accelerometer locations

• Plots of the test data showing the test durations and levels

• Proof that the CubeSat survived testing
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6.9.3 Thermal Vacuum Bakeout Testing

Bakeout

During the thermal vacuum (TVAC) bakeout test, the CubeSat is heated to 

prescribed temperatures while in a high-vacuum environment. This bakeout is 

required on almost all missions, primarily to allow the CubeSat’s materials to 

outgas any possible contaminants before the actual launch. The primary payload is sometimes very sensitive to contaminants, and many materials will release 

small amounts of matter as the air pressure decreases to vacuum. Performing the 

bakeout ensures that any matter that would have been released during launch is 

safely released during the bakeout instead.

The ICD will state the required temperatures and target vacuum level that your 

CubeSat will need to be tested to, as well as how long the CubeSat needs to be at 

each temperature and vacuum level.

The test report needs to show that the CubeSat was subjected to thermal and 

vacuum levels in accordance with the CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD requirements. 

The mission integrator will supply a template for the test procedure and report. 

Your report must include the control/input data, response of the test article (if 

applicable), and pictures of the test setup, with special attention to thermocouple, 

or temperature sensor, locations. Before testing begins, the mission integrator 

needs to review your testing procedures to make sure the test will verify all of the 

appropriate ICD requirements.

Minimum Report Content

• Time-stamped logs to show proper temperature and vacuum levels were 

maintained

• Photos of the test setup, including thermocouple locations

• Plots of the test data showing the temperature levels and durations 

• Plots of the test data showing the vacuum levels and durations 

• Proof that the CubeSat survived testing

Cycling

Another type of TVAC testing is TVAC cycling. CubeSat developers aren’t usually required to perform this type of testing on their CubeSat, but it can help 

screen for problems caused by the thermal cycling on orbit and help improve the 

odds of your mission’s success. The reason you’ll want to put your CubeSat (or 

even just the components) through TVAC cycling is to be confident that your 
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CubeSat can handle the vacuum and temperature range without being damaged. 

You’ll want to know before you send your CubeSat to space that your solder joints 

won’t break, and that the battery package isn’t going to melt away. For testing levels and cycle repetitions, check out the CubeSat Requirements Document, LSPREQ-317.01, which is available on the NASA Web site at https://www.nasa.gov/

pdf/627972main_LSP-REQ-317_01A.pdf. It lays out a good guideline for this test.

A student from Thomas Jefferson 

High School of Alexandria, Virginia 

conducting vibration testing on the 

TJ3Sat CubeSat. It was developed to 

create educational resources through 

which other K-12 institutions can learn 

about aerospace engineering and be 

encouraged to seek careers in the 

STEM fields. The primary payload is 

a voice synthesizer module that takes 

written phrases in the form of code and 

produces a phonetic voice reading on 

the satellite’s downlink frequencies. 

Launched by NASA’s CubeSat Launch 

Initiative on the ELaNa IV mission as 

an auxiliary payload aboard the U.S. 

Air Force-led Operationally Responsive 

Space (ORS-3) Mission on November 

19, 2013. [Thomas Jefferson High 

School]

TVAC cycling is typically just an internal test that you perform for yourself, 

so you probably won’t be required to submit a report to the mission integrator. 

However, in the interest of good record keeping, you should still write up a report 

and procedures that your team can refer back to in the future. 

WARNING!

Cycle testing is completely different from bakeout testing and cannot be 

performed in place of your bakeout.
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6.10 Compliance Letter

The compliance letter is signed by the CubeSat principal investigator. The letter 

is essentially a statement from the CubeSat developer guaranteeing that your 

CubeSat is compliant with the entire CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD, and that no 

prohibited components are aboard. 

principal investigator: The 

principal investigator (PI) is the 

official leader of the CubeSat 

project and is specified in the 

project’s proposal. For university 

CubeSats, this position is filled by 

the faculty member who is most 

responsible for the project.

The mission integrator will typically send a draft letter to the CubeSat teams for 

signature. 

This deliverable is typically one of the last items due. A generic example is 

included in Appendix C.

6.11 Safety Package Inputs (e.g., Missile System 

Prelaunch Safety Package, Flight Safety Panel)

Depending on the type of mission model the CubeSat is participating in, you 

will probably be required to submit documents with information specifically for 

range safety, such as the Missile System Prelaunch Safety Package (MSPSP) or 

the Flight Safety Panel (for Space Station missions). 

The CubeSat developer typically is responsible for creating the MSPSP, but the 

mission integrator will create a template, with instructions, for the CubeSat 

teams to complete. In some cases, the mission integrator will write the MSPSP 

for the CubeSats, but that will still require detailed information from the 

CubeSat developer. 

The document covers all the hazards that the CubeSat could pose to the LV, 

the dispenser, other CubeSats, and personnel handling or in proximity of the 

CubeSat. You will be required to complete the MSPSP early to support any LV 

provider analyses and ensure that your CubeSat design is safe to fly.

The mission integrator typically will supply a template to help the CubeSat developer create an MSPSP. The CubeSat MSPSP will outline any potential hazards 

and how each is mitigated. Your final MSPSP documentation generally needs to 

be submitted at least 45 days prior to arrival at the range, or launch facility. Your 

mission integrator will set a deadline well ahead of the official due date and will 

submit the MSPSP through the appropriate channels.
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Pictured above: 

A set of NanoRacks CubeSats is photographed 

by an Expedition 38 crew member after the 

deployment by the NanoRacks Launcher attached A to the end of the Japanese robotic arm. [NASA] List of Abbreviations

ADCS attitude determination and control system

AFSPCMAN Air Force Space Command Manual

AFOSHSTD Air Force Occupational Safety And Health 

A

APIC

CAC

Cal Poly

CDS

CFR

CG

CIR

CONOPS

CRADA

CRSRA

CSLI

CVCM

DAS

DITL

DOD

ELaNa

ELV

EMI/EMC

ETU

EWR

FCC

GSE

IARU

Standard

Announcement of Partnership Opportunity

Auxiliary Payload Integration Contractor

CubeSat Acceptance Checklist

California Polytechnic State University

CubeSat Design Specification

Code of Federal Regulations

center of gravity

CubeSat Interface Review

Concept of Operations

Cooperative Research And Development

Agreement

Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs

CubeSat Launch Initiative

collected volatile condensible materials

Debris Assessment Software

Day in The Life

Department of Defense

Educational Launch of Nanosatellites

Expendable Launch Vehicle

electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic

compatibility

engineering test unit

Eastern and Western Range

Federal Communications Commission

Ground Support Equipment

International Amateur Radio Union

ICD Interface Control Document

IRC Internet Relay Chat

ISS International Space Station

ITU International Telecommunication Union

JSpOC Joint Space Operations Center

LSP Launch Services Program

LV launch vehicle

MOI moment of inertia

MRR Mission Readiness Review

MSPSP Missile System Prelaunch Safety Package

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NEI Non-Earth Imaging

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NRO National Reconnaissance Office

NTIA National Telecommunications and Information 

Administration

ODAR Orbital Debris Assessment Report

ORS Operationally Responsive Space

OSL Office of Space Launch

PCB printed circuit board

P-POD Poly-Picosatellite Orbital Deployer

RBF Remove Before Flight

RF radio frequency

RFP Request for Proposal

SSDL Space Systems Development Laboratory

TLE Two Line Element

TML total mass loss

TNC terminal node controller

TVAC thermal vacuum
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B Glossary

Attitude 

Determination and 

Control Systems

The Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS) is the system designed to stabilize 

and orient the CubeSat toward a given direction. This is a critical system for mission 

success. If the satellite needs to point its solar panels toward the Sun to get the most power 

possible or if you are taking images of the Earth its attitude has to be set to the correct 

value.

breadboard A breadboard is a board used to make an experimental model of components for testing.

CubeSat Design 

Specification

The CubeSat Design Specification (CDS) is a set of general requirements for all CubeSats, 

but is not the official set of requirements that you will need to follow for your launch.

CubeSat developer You’ll hear this term a lot in the CubeSat world. This is the standard term for any person or 

organization that is designing, building, and preparing a CubeSat for flight. 

deliverables A deliverable is anything that your team has agreed to submit to the mission integrator as 

part of your legal obligations under the CRADA. These deliverables will be used to verify 

that your CubeSat meets the requirements set in the mission ICD. Chapter 6 describes the 

deliverables required on a typical CubeSat mission.

electrical inhibit An electrical inhibit is a physical device that interrupts the “power path” needed to turn on 

your CubeSat and/or other potentially hazardous devices.

Engineering Test 

Unit

An engineering test unit (ETU) is built like the flight unit, but is not intended for launch. 

Developers will typically use the ETU like a practice dummy. It can be used to practice 

putting the components together, fit checks, hardware and software testing, and anything 

else that you don’t want to try for the first time on your valuable flight unit.

FlatSat A FlatSat is exactly what it sounds like. It’s an engineering unit of the CubeSat that includes 

all of the components, except the structure. Typically, the components are mounted on 

some sort of flat board, hence the term FlatSat. Developers can use the FlatSat to test and 

troubleshoot the CubeSat’s systems without integrating everything onto the structure.

form factor This is a term used to describe the size, shape, and/or component arrangement of a 

particular device. When we use it in reference to the standard CubeSat, we’re referring to 

the specific size and mass that defines a CubeSat.

independent inhibit An inhibit is a physical device between a power source and a hazard. A timer is not 

considered an independent inhibit.

integration services This normally includes, at a minimum, review of your deliverables, the dispenser, integrating 

your CubeSat into the dispenser, any testing that is done on the dispenser/CubeSat system, 

and physically integrating the dispenser/CubeSat system onto the launch vehicle.
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interface “Interface” is a general term that refers to any point where two or more components are 

joined together. For instance, someone may ask, “How does the CubeSat interface with the 

dispenser?” or, “Is there an electrical interface between the CubeSat and the Dispenser?” 

(These questions mean, “Can I electrically connect the CubeSat to the dispenser 

somehow?”)

investigation This term gets used often when talking about a CubeSat’s mission. It refers to the 

investigation, scientific or otherwise, that your CubeSat will be performing. In this context, 

“investigation” is commonly used interchangeably with a CubeSat “mission.”

manifesting The process of assigning CubeSats to the available slots on a launch opportunity.

margin This is a very common term in the engineering world specifically referring to the safety 

margin, but is more generally used to refer to extra anything that gives you peace of mind. 

When you’re talking about scheduling, you add time, or margin, in case you run into issues 

or just estimate incorrectly. 

mission This term is a somewhat generic, all-encompassing term that refers to the enterprise as a 

whole. It’s sometimes used interchangeably with “project” or “investigation” and includes 

all phases from development, testing, integration, to launch and operations.

mission integrator You may be asking yourself why the mission integrator isn’t called the mission coordinator. 

Well, sometimes they are. The terms “integration” and “coordination” when referring 

to a mission are commonly used interchangeably. For the purposes of this document, 

the person/organization responsible for the coordination will be referred to as “mission 

integrator,” and we’ll use “mission coordination” to refer to mission coordination activities.

outgassing In the spacecraft industry, outgassing refers to the sublimation or evaporation of materials 

as those materials are taken to a high-vacuum environment like space. The material that 

is lost to outgassing can find its way onto sensitive components and possibly affect a 

mission’s success. 

payload In the aerospace industry, “payload” is a general term used to describe the cargo (e.g., 

a satellite or spacecraft) being delivered to space. When we’re talking about CubeSat 

dispensers, the payload always refers to the CubeSat. 

principal investigator The principal investigator (PI) is the official leader of the CubeSat project and is specified in 

the project’s proposal. For university CubeSats, this position is filled by the faculty member 

who is most responsible for the project.

range safety Range safety is the person designed to protect people and assets on both the rocket 

launch range and downrange in cases when a launch vehicle might expose them to danger.

Remove Before 

Flight pin

The Remove Before Flight (RBF) pin is a physical object that separates the CubeSat’s 

power system from the rest of the circuitry (particularly the central processor). Ideally, the 

RBF pin is removed after the CubeSat is integrated into the flight dispenser, but it can be 

removed just prior to integration.
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separation switches The separation switches on the CubeSat are usually located on the ends of the CubeSat 

rails. When depressed (as they will be in the dispenser) they will physically separate the 

power system circuitry from the rest of the CubeSat circuitry. When the CubeSat is ejected 

from the dispenser into orbit, the switches will no longer be depressed and will allow the 

CubeSat circuitry to connect to the power system.

SpaceCap Notice The Space notification system PC Capture, or SpaceCap, is a software file containing 

information about transmitting stations in space, including details about antennas, 

transmitters, and the station itself. The file is created by PC-based software that can be 

downloaded for free from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Web site. 

http://www.itu.int.

strategic partnering Sometimes a CubeSat mission is too ambitious for a single organization to undertake. In 

that case, a strategic partnership can combine the strengths and resources of multiple 

organizations to achieve greater goals. These strategic partnerships are typically formalized 

by some kind of formal agreement.

Terminal Node 

Controller

The Terminal Node Controller (TNC) is a device used by amateur radio operators to 

participate in AX.25 packet radio networks. It will assemble the data into packets of 

information and key the transmitter to send the packets of data to the ground station. Once 

the ground station receives the packets, the packets are reassembled and encoded to a 

form that can be interpreted by your ground station.

Two Line Elements A Two Line Element (TLE) is a data format encoding a list of orbital elements of an Earthorbiting CubeSat for a given point in time, the epoch. Using a prediction formula, a TLE 

can be used to estimate the position and velocity in the past, present or future for your 

CubeSat.
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C Templates

1 ODAR Inputs

NASA Orbital Debris Assessment Report Inputs

ELaNa # ODAR

Satellite Name – Organization – Satellite Size

Insert expanded-view image here with labels for major components, pay 

particular attention to re-entry concern materials, if any (metals with high 

melting point, ceramics, glass, etc.). This can be the same image used in 

the CubeSat Interface Review (CIR).

Brief Overview: Describe the satellite and mission objectives.

CONOPS: Give a rough description of activities from P-POD deployment 

to end of life. Mention any activities or deployments that may be of interest 

from an orbital debris standpoint.

Materials: Describe the major materials used in the satellite with particular 

attention to anything potentially capable of surviving reentry. Items listed 

here should agree with the ODAR spreadsheet. 

Hazards: State whether there are any hazardous systems on the satellite.

Batteries: Describe the power system and make note of the UL listing number for the batteries. This is to provide confidence that the batteries have 

the proper safety mechanisms in place and will likely not create additional 

orbital debris.

Example submission is on the following page.
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ELaNa II ODAR

CubeSat-1 – Example University – 1U

CubeSat-1 will demonstrate the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) 

components in space, test a high-speed communications link, and characterize an Earth observation imager. 

Upon deployment from the P-POD, CubeSat-1 will power up and start 

counting down timers. At 30 minutes, the antennas will be deployed, then 

at 45 minutes the UHF beacon will be activated. For the first few passes, the 

ground station operators will attempt communications to perform checkouts 

of the spacecraft. Approximately 4 days from launch, payload tests will begin 

and continue for at least 1 year.

The CubeSat structure is made of Aluminum 6061-T6. It contains all standard commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) materials, electrical components, 

PCBs, and solar cells. The high-speed radio uses a ceramic patch antenna.

There are no pressure vessels, hazardous, or exotic materials.

The electrical power storage system consists of common lithium-ion batteries 

with over-charge/current protection circuitry. The lithium batteries carry the 

UL-listing number MH12345.
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2 CubeSat Components ODAR Template

NASA CubeSat Components ODAR Template

Row 

No. Name

External/Internal 

(Major/Minor 

Components) Qty Material

Body 

Type

Mass 

(g)

Diameter/ 

Width (mm)

Length 

(mm)

Height 

(mm)

1 CubeSat Name 1 e.g., Aluminum 

6061

Box

2 CubeSat 

Structure

External – Major 1 e.g., Aluminum 

6061

Box

3 Antennae External – Major xxx e.g., Steel 410

4 Solar Panels External – Major e.g., Fiberglass

5 Sep Switches External – Minor

6 Any other 

external 

components

External – Minor

7 Batteries Internal – Major

8 ADCS 

Components 

(e.g., Magnets)

9 Payload Board

10 Comm Board

11 Battery Board

12 C&DH Board

13 Fasteners Internal – Minor

14 Cabling, etc. Internal – Minor e.g.,Copper 

alloy

Guide/Descriptions of Each Column

Row Number: List components in decreasing importance (follow column C)

Name: List your CubeSat first as the parent and each component and subsystem associated with your CubeSat

External/Internal: Rank CubeSat components from external to internal and major to minor

Qty: List the quantity of component

Material: List the parent material for the component, specify alloy type if possible

Body Type: List the general shape of the component

Mass: List the mass of the component in grams

Dimensions: List the width/length/height in millimeters
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3 Transmitter Survey

All CubeSats shall provide transmitter data addressing the topics below, including 

their primary and secondary communications system (e.g., 70 cm and S-Band). 

This data shall satisfy the requirements set forth in the CubeSat-to-dispenser ICD.

1. Transmitter Type: Enter the generic class of the transmitter. The general modulation type and transmitter purpose should be entered 

as a two- or three-word description. Examples are as follows: FM 

Communications, Pulse Doppler Radar, 802.11b Wireless LAN, FSK 

Data Communications, Spread-Spectrum Communications, etc.

2. Tuning Range: Enter the frequency range (e.g., 225–400) and units 

(e.g., kHz, MHz or GHz) over which the transmitter is capable of being 

tuned. For equipment designed to operate only at a single frequency, 

enter this frequency. The entry should be the lowest tunable center frequency through the highest tunable center frequency. If the equipment 

is designed for use at a single frequency only, cannot be tuned, or in any 

way adjusted in frequency, the center frequency of the emission or reception should be listed in this block.

3. Filter Employed: If a filter is employed between the final radio frequency 

(RF) stage and the transmitter antenna, it should be indicated here and 

information on the type of filter (e.g., lowpass, highpass, or bandpass) as 

well as any additional specifications should be provided here. An example of this additional information would be an entry such as this one: 

“Low-Pass filter with 1.5-dB insertion loss and a minimum of 85-dB 

attenuation 25 MHz removed from the tuned frequency.”

4. Emission Bandwidth: This item should contain information regarding 

the spectral energy distribution of the transmitted signal. The emission 

bandwidth is defined as the signal appearing at the antenna terminals 

and includes any significant attenuation contributed by filtering in the 

output circuit or transmission lines. The bandwidths of the signals at 

points –3, –20, and –60 dB, relative to the fundamental signal level, 

are required, and should not include tuning range or carrier movement. 

The bandwidth at –40 dB shall also be entered if the transmitter is a 

pulsed radar transmitter. Values of emission bandwidth specified should 

be indicated as calculated or measured. Indicate units used (e.g., Hz, 

kHz, or MHz).
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5. Power (As-Deployed): Enter the mean power delivered to the antenna terminals for all AM- and FM-type emissions as the satellite will be deployed 

on orbit. For all other classes of emissions, enter the peak envelope power 

(PEP). Any unique situations such as interrupted continuous wave (CW), 

should be provided in detail. Indicate the units (e.g., W or kW).

6. Power (Maximum Hardware Capability): Enter the mean power delivered 

to the antenna terminals for all AM- and FM-type emissions assuming 

maximum capability of the transmitter. For all other classes of emissions, enter the peak envelope power (PEP). Any unique situations, such 

as interrupted continuous wave (CW), should be provided in detail. 

Indicate the units (e.g., W or kW).

7. Harmonic Level: All RF transmitters emit energy at various places in the 

spectrum outside the necessary bandwidth. These out-of-band emissions 

are referred to as “spurious emissions.” The highest levels of spurious 

energy generally occur at frequencies that are multiples or “harmonics” 

of the center frequency. Thus, a transmitter tuned to 30 MHz will also 

emit energy on 60 MHz, 90 MHz, 120 MHz, etc. This section requires 

the second, third, and “other” harmonic power level specified in decibels 

relative to the peak output power of the carrier signal (dBc). The second 

harmonic emission falls at the frequency equal to two times the fundamental frequency. Similarly, the third harmonic falls at the frequency 

equal to three times the fundamental frequency. Harmonic emission 

power levels tend to decrease as the harmonic frequencies increase. Thus, 

the second harmonic power level is generally greater than the third, with 

the third expected to be greater than the fourth. The carrier signal, or 

fundamental emission, is always designated as 0 dB. Thus, a harmonic 

or spurious emission with a peak power of 80 dB below that of the fundamental has a relative level of –80 dBc. The level should always be 

expressed as a relative dB level, never as an absolute level (dBm or dBW). 

Whenever possible, the power levels should be measured from the radiated spectrum of the transmitter. If radiated spectrum measurements 

are not possible, the power levels should be measured at the antenna 

terminals. Indicate where the measurement was made (radiated, antenna 

terminals, or transmitter final stage).

8. Spurious Level: Enter the maximum value of spurious emission in dB 

relative to the fundamental, which occurs outside the –60-dBc point on 

the transmitter fundamental emission spectrum but does not occur on a 

harmonic of the fundamental frequency.
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4 Materials List 

Launch Service Program – Standard Materials List Form

CubeSat Developer: ____________________________________________________________________

CubeSat Name: _______________________________________________________________________

Date Provided: _______________________________________________________________________

Purpose: The purpose of this document is to provide a listing of materials that have been selected for use in the 

CubeSats.

TABLE 1. Metals

Item # Material ID Specification Description % TML % CVCM Location

Data 

Reference

TABLE 2 – Non-Metal

Item # Material ID Specification Description % TML % CVCM Location

Data 

Reference
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TABLE 3 – Surface Coatings

Item # Material ID Specification Description % TML % CVCM Location

Data 

Reference

TABLE 4 – Elastomerics

Item # Material ID Specification Description % TML % CVCM Location

Data 

Reference

TABLE 5 – Adhesives

Item # Material ID Specification Description % TML % CVCM Location

Data 

Reference
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Appendices

TABLE 6 – Miscellaneous 

Item # Material ID Specification Description % TML % CVCM Location

Data 

Reference

Notes:

N/A Non-Applicable

N/D No Data Available
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Appendices

5 Compliance Letter 

[Optional Header Logo]

[Insert Date]

[Mission Integrator POC Name]

[Mission Integrator Organization]

[Mission Integrator Address]

[Mission Integrator Address]

Dear __________,

This memo is to certify that [Insert CubeSat Name] and [Insert CubeSat Team 

Name] is in compliance with all requirements in the CubeSat to Dispenser 

Interface Control Document for the [Insert Mission Name] Mission [Insert ICD 

doc ID#].

This compliance includes the following: [ICD verification statements below are 

examples, insert statements specific to current mission ICD]

• 3.1.1 CubeSat Design

• The CubeSats shall be self-contained and provide their own 

power, sequencing, and wiring.

• 3.1.2 Pressure Vessels

• The CubeSat shall not contain pressurized vessels. 

• 3.1.3 Propulsion Systems

• The CubeSat shall not contain propulsion systems. 

• 3.1.4 Radioactive Material

• The CubeSat shall not contain radioactive material that, 

unshielded, would produce personnel exposure greater than the 

Nuclear Regulatory Commission limit for members of the general public in any unrestricted area.

• 3.1.5 Explosive Devices

• The CubeSat shall not contain explosive devices.
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Appendices

• 3.3.5.1 CubeSat Transmissions through Ground Command

• The CubeSat operations plan shall prevent ground-commanded 

activation of any CubeSat transmissions prior to 45 minutes 

after on-orbit deployment from the P-POD.

For requirement 3.3.5.1 I certify that [CubeSat Team Name] ground operations 

procedures will restrict issuance of ground commands until 45 minutes after the 

confirmed separation time of the CubeSat from the P-POD.

Sincerely, 

[Principal Investigator Signature Block]

[PI Name Typed]

[PI Title]

[Institution]
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Appendices

6 CubeSat Acceptance Checklists 

1U CubeSat Acceptance Checklist

Project: Date/Time: Engineers:

Organization: Location:

Satellite Name: Satellite S/N: Revision Date: 02/20/2014

Mass (< 1.33 kg) _________________ RBF Pin (≤ 6.5 mm) _________________

Spring Plungers 

(Depressed)

Functional Y / N

Flush with Standoff Y / N

Rails Anodized Y / N

Deployment Switches 

(Depressed)

Functional Y / N

Flush with Standoff Y / N

Deployables Constrained Y / N

Mark on the diagram the locations of the RBF pin, connectors, deployables, and any envelope violations.

Access

Port

Access

Port Side 1

(–Y)

Side 3

(+Y) Rail 2

(–X,–Y)

Rail 4

(+X,+Y)

Rail 1

(+X,–Y)

Rail 3

(–X,+Y)

Side 6

(+Z)

Side 2

(–X)

Side 5

(–Z)

Side 4

(+X)

Authorized by:

IT 1: _________

IT 2: _________

Passed: Y / N

List Item As Measured Required

Width [x–y] Side 1 (–Y) Side 2 (–X) Side 3 (+Y) Side 4 (+X)

+Z ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

Middle ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

–Z ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

Height [x–y] Rail 1 (+X, –Y) Rail 2 (–X, –Y) Rail 3 (–X, +Y) Rail 4 (+X, +Y)

____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 113.5 ± 0.1 mm

Rail 1 (+X, –Y)

length x width

Rail 2 (–X, –Y)

length x width

Rail 3 (–X, +Y)

length x width

Rail 4 (+X, +Y)

length x width

+Z Standoffs ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ≥ 6.5 mm

–Z Standoffs ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ≥ 6.5 mm

Protrusions Side 1 (–Y) Side 2 (–X) Side 3 (+Y) Side 4 (+X) Side 5 (–Z) Side 6 (+Z)

_________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ≤ 6.5 mm
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1.5U CubeSat Acceptance Checklist

Project: Date/Time: Engineers:

Organization: Location:

Satellite Name: Satellite S/N: Revision Date: 02/20/2014

Mass (< 2.00 kg) _________________ RBF Pin (≤ 6.5 mm) _________________

Spring Plungers 

(Depressed)

Functional Y / N

Flush with Standoff Y / N

Rails Anodized Y / N

Deployment Switches 

(Depressed)

Functional Y / N

Flush with Standoff Y / N

Deployables Constrained Y / N

Mark on the diagram the locations of the RBF pin, connectors, deployables, and any envelope violations.

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Side 1

(–Y)

Side 3

(+Y)

Rail 2

(–X,–Y)

Rail 4

(+X,+Y) Rail 1

(+X,–Y)

Rail 3

(–X,+Y)

Side 6

(+Z)

Side 5

(–Z)

Side 4

(+X)

Side 2

(–X)

Authorized by:

IT 1: _________

IT 2: _________

Passed: Y / N

List Item As Measured Required

Width [x–y] Side 1 (–Y) Side 2 (–X) Side 3 (+Y) Side 4 (+X)

+Z ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

Middle ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

–Z ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

Height [x–y] Rail 1 (+X, –Y) Rail 2 (–X, –Y) Rail 3 (–X, +Y) Rail 4 (+X, +Y)

____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 170.2 ± 0.1 mm

Rail 1 (+X, –Y)

length x width

Rail 2 (–X, –Y)

length x width

Rail 3 (–X, +Y)

length x width

Rail 4 (+X, +Y)

length x width

+Z Standoffs ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ≥ 6.5 mm

–Z Standoffs ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ≥ 6.5 mm

Protrusions Side 1 (–Y) Side 2 (–X) Side 3 (+Y) Side 4 (+X) Side 5 (–Z) Side 6 (+Z)

_________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ≤ 6.5 mm
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2U CubeSat Acceptance Checklist

Project: Date/Time: Engineers:

Organization: Location:

Satellite Name: Satellite S/N: Revision Date: 02/20/2014

Mass (< 2.66 kg) _________________ RBF Pin (≤ 6.5 mm) _________________

Spring Plungers 

(Depressed)

Functional Y / N

Flush with Standoff Y / N

Rails Anodized Y / N

Deployment Switches 

(Depressed)

Functional Y / N

Flush with Standoff Y / N

Deployables Constrained Y / N

Mark on the diagram the locations of the RBF pin, connectors, deployables, and any envelope violations.

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Side 1

(–Y)

Side 3

(+Y)

Rail 2

(–X,–Y)

Rail 4

(+X,+Y)

Rail 1

(+X,–Y)

Rail 3

(–X,+Y)

Side 6

(+Z)

Side 5

(–Z)

Side 4

(+X) Side 2

(–X)

Authorized by:

IT 1: _________

IT 2: _________

Passed: Y / N

List Item As Measured Required

Width [x–y] Side 1 (–Y) Side 2 (–X) Side 3 (+Y) Side 4 (+X)

+Z ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

Middle ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

–Z ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

Height [x–y] Rail 1 (+X, –Y) Rail 2 (–X, –Y) Rail 3 (–X, +Y) Rail 4 (+X, +Y)

____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 227.0 ± 0.2 mm

Rail 1 (+X, –Y)

length x width

Rail 2 (–X, –Y)

length x width

Rail 3 (–X, +Y)

length x width

Rail 4 (+X, +Y)

length x width

+Z Standoffs ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ≥ 6.5 mm

–Z Standoffs ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ≥ 6.5 mm

Protrusions Side 1 (–Y) Side 2 (–X) Side 3 (+Y) Side 4 (+X) Side 5 (–Z) Side 6 (+Z)

_________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ≤ 6.5 mm
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3U CubeSat Acceptance Checklist

Project: Date/Time: Engineers:

Organization: Location:

Satellite Name: Satellite S/N: Revision Date: 02/20/2014

Mass (< 4.00 kg) _________________ RBF Pin (≤ 6.5 mm) _________________

Spring Plungers 

(Depressed)

Functional Y / N

Flush with Standoff Y / N

Rails Anodized Y / N

Deployment Switches 

(Depressed)

Functional Y / N

Flush with Standoff Y / N

Deployables Constrained Y / N

Mark on the diagram the locations of the RBF pin, connectors, deployables, and any envelope violations.

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Side 1

(–Y)

Side 3

(+Y)

Side 2

(–X)

Rail 2

(–X,–Y)

Rail 4

(+X,+Y)

Rail 1

(+X,–Y)

Rail 3

(–X,+Y)

Side 6

(+Z)

Side 5

(–Z)

Side 4

(+X)

Authorized by:

IT 1: _________

IT 2: _________

Passed: Y / N

List Item As Measured Required

Width [x–y] Side 1 (–Y) Side 2 (–X) Side 3 (+Y) Side 4 (+X)

+Z ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

Middle ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

–Z ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

Height [x–y] Rail 1 (+X, –Y) Rail 2 (–X, –Y) Rail 3 (–X, +Y) Rail 4 (+X, +Y)

____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 340.5 ± 0.3 mm

Rail 1 (+X, –Y)

length x width

Rail 2 (–X, –Y)

length x width

Rail 3 (–X, +Y)

length x width

Rail 4 (+X, +Y)

length x width

+Z Standoffs ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ≥ 6.5 mm

–Z Standoffs ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ≥ 6.5 mm

Protrusions Side 1 (–Y) Side 2 (–X) Side 3 (+Y) Side 4 (+X) Side 5 (–Z) Side 6 (+Z)

_________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ≤ 6.5 mm
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3U+ CubeSat Acceptance Checklist

Project: Date/Time: Engineers:

Organization: Location:

Satellite Name: Satellite S/N: Revision Date: 02/20/2014

Mass (< 4.00 kg) _________________ RBF Pin (≤ 6.5 mm) _________________

Spring Plungers 

(Depressed)

Functional Y / N

Flush with Standoff Y / N

Rails Anodized Y / N

Deployment Switches 

(Depressed)

Functional Y / N

Flush with Standoff Y / N

Deployables Constrained Y / N

Mark on the diagram the locations of the RBF pin, connectors, deployables, and any envelope violations.

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Access

Port

Side 1

(–Y)

Side 3

(+Y)

Side 2

(–X)

Rail 2

(–X,–Y)

Rail 4

(+X,+Y)

Rail 1

(+X,–Y)

Rail 3

(–X,+Y)

Side 6

(+Z)

Side 5

(–Z)

Side 4

(+X)

Authorized by:

IT 1: _________

IT 2: _________

Passed: Y / N

3U+ Volume

Length (Z): ____ ≤ 36 mm

Diameter: ____ ≤ 64 mm

3U+ Centered: Y / N

List Item As Measured Required

Width [x–y] Side 1 (–Y) Side 2 (–X) Side 3 (+Y) Side 4 (+X)

+Z ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

Middle ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

–Z ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 100 ± 0.1 mm

Height [x–y] Rail 1 (+X, –Y) Rail 2 (–X, –Y) Rail 3 (–X, +Y) Rail 4 (+X, +Y)

____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ 340.5 ± 0.3 mm

Rail 1 (+X, –Y)

length x width

Rail 2 (–X, –Y)

length x width

Rail 3 (–X, +Y)

length x width

Rail 4 (+X, +Y)

length x width

+Z Standoffs ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ≥ 6.5 mm

–Z Standoffs ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ____ x ____ ≥ 6.5 mm

Protrusions Side 1 (–Y) Side 2 (–X) Side 3 (+Y) Side 4 (+X) Side 5 (–Z) Side 6 (+Z)

_________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ≤ 6.5 mm
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Appendices

D Technical Reference Documents for 

CubeSat Requirements

Range

Document Number Title

AFOSHSTD 48-9

Air Force Occupational Safety and Health Standard

Radio Frequency Radiation (RFR) Safety 

Program

AFSPCMAN 91-710 

Air Force Space Command Manual

Launch Vehicles, Payloads, and Ground Support 

Systems Requirements

EWR 127-1

Eastern and Western Range 

Range Safety Requirements, Range User 

Handbook

NASA Standards and Specifications

Document Number Title

NASA-STD-6016

NASA Technical Standards Program

Standard Materials and Processes

Requirements for Spacecraft

NASA-STD-8719.14A Process for Limiting Orbital Debris

NPR 8715.6A NASA Procedural Requirements for Limiting Orbital Debris 

Generation

Standards and Specifications

Document Number Title

Air Force Memo

4 May 2005

Joint 45 SW/SE and 30 SW/SE Interim Policy Regarding EWR 127-1 Requirements 

for System Safety for Flight and Aerospace Ground Equipment Lithium-Ion 

Batteries

GSFC-STD-7000 A General Environmental Verification Standard for GSFC Flight Programs and 

Projects

MIL-STD-461F Electronic Emission and Susceptibility Requirements for the Control of 

Electromagnetic Interference and Notices 1 and 2 dated 4/08/1986, 4/01/1987 and 

10/15/1987 respectively

SMC-S-016 Space and Missile Systems Center Standard Test Requirements for Launch, 

Upper-Stage, and Space Vehicles

UL 1642 UL Standard for Safety for Lithium Batteries

UL 2054 UL Standard for Safety for Household and Commercial Batteries
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Appendices

E Notional Timeline of Events/Deliverables

Funding

Concept Development

Merit/Feasibility Reviews

Develop/Submit Proposal

CSLI Selection Process

Manifesting

Mission Coordination

Licensing

Document Development/

Submission

Ground Station Development 

and Testing

Months

Flight Hardware Fabrication

Readiness Reviews

Dispenser Integration

Launch Vehicle Integration

Launch and Mission Operations

This notional timeline shows how these phases might come together for a project.
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Cover Image Credits

Front Cover

Top: Launch of NASA’s NPOESS Preparatory Project (NPP) 

mission on Oct. 28, 2011 which deployed five CubeSats as 

part of the Educational Launch of the Nanosatellite (ELaNa)-III 

Mission. [U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Andrew Satran]

Left: Students Alex Diaz and Riki Munakata of California 

Polytechnic State University testing the LightSail CubeSat. 

LightSail is a citizen-funded technology demonstration mission 

sponsored by the Planetary Society using solar propulsion for 

CubeSats. [The Planetary Society] 

Middle: ChargerSat-1’s mission was developed by students 

from the University of Alabama, Huntsville to conduct three 

technology demonstrations: a gravity gradient stabilization 

system will passively stabilize the spacecraft; deployable solar 

panels will nearly double the power input to the spacecraft; and 

the same deployable solar panels will shape the gain pattern of 

a nadir-facing monopole antenna, allowing improved horizonto-horizon communications. [University of Alabama, Huntsville] 

Right: CAPE-2 was developed by students from the University 

of Louisiana Lafayette to engage, inspire and educate K-12 

students to encourage them to pursue STEM careers. The 

secondary focus is the technology demonstration of deployed 

solar panels to support the following payloads: text to speech, 

voice repeater, tweeting, email, file transfer and data collection 

from buoys. [University of Louisiana at Lafayette]

Back Cover

Top: A set of CubeSats is photographed by an Expedition 

38 crew member after the deployment by the NanoRacks 

Launcher attached to the end of the Japanese robotic arm 

affixed to the Space Station. [NASA]

Left: Students Sergei Posnov, David Einhorn, Thompson 

Cragwell, and Maria Kromis working on the ANDESITE

CubeSat from Boston University. ANDESITE will measure 

small-scale spatial magnetic features in the auroral current 

systems. The measurements will be made through a 

constellation of picosatellites deployed by the main payload and 

communicating over a mesh network. [Boston University]

Middle: The BisonSat mission is an Earth Science mission 

that will demonstrate the acquisition of 100-meter or better 

resolution visible light imagery of Earth using passive magnetic 

stabilization from a CubeSat. BisonSat is the first CubeSat 

designed, built, tested, and operated by tribal college students. 

Launched by NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative on the ELaNa 

XII mission as an auxiliary payload aboard the NROL- 55 

Mission on October 8, 2015. [Salish Kootenai College]

Right: University of Kentucky students Jason Rexroat and Alex 

Clements working on KySat-2 a technology demonstration 

CubeSat mission developed by students from the University 

of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky that builds upon KySat-1 

by expanding the K-12 outreach goals to interest students to 

science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) 

fields and space technology. It also will test components of a 

novel attitude determination system called a Stellar Gyroscope 

that uses sequences of digital pictures to determine the 

three-axis rotation rate of the satellite. Launched by NASA’s 

CubeSat Launch Initiative on the ELaNa IV mission as an 

auxiliary payload aboard the U.S. Air Force- led Operationally 

Responsive Space (ORS-3) Mission on November 19, 2013. 

[University of Kentucky]

www.nasa.gov

NP-2017-10-2470-HQ