NavArt-03.06_NavArt

REVISION A [DRAFT]

National Aeronautics and

Space Administration EFFECTIVE DATE: [May 19, 2021]

NASA Centennial Challenges in Collaboration with Ames Research Center

Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 35812

Cube Quest Challenge

Ground Tournaments, Deep Space Derby, 

and Lunar Derby

Required Navigation Artifacts

for 

Authenticating Claimed Communications Distances, and 

Verifying Achievement and Maintenance of Lunar Orbit for 

Compliance with Cube Quest Challenge Rules
NASA Centennial Challenges – CubeSat Challenge

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Revision History

Date Version Change Description

6 January, 2015 Draft 1.4 Initial “draft” release

24 March, 2017 Baseline release No changes to content

11 December, 2020 Rev. A 1. Rename the document to “Required 

Navigation Artifacts”

2. Section 4.1.1, 4.1.2, 4.2.1, 4.2.2 Distance 

between the ground station is changed to 

3000 km.

3. Deep space derby requirement changed to 

3M km

4. Added Section 5

5. Reorganize the document with section titles 

and numbers

6. Added Table of Content
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Table of Contents

1 OVERVIEW....................................................................................................................................................45

1.1 SCOPE	AND	PURPOSE ...............................................................................................................................................45

1.2 PROJECT	INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................45

2 APPLICABLE	DOCUMENTS ......................................................................................................................56

3 NAVIGATION	ARTIFACTS	SUBMISSION ..............................................................................................67

3.1 SUBMISSION	APPROACH	I........................................................................................................................................67

3.2 SUBMISSION	APPROACH	II ......................................................................................................................................67

4 NAVIGATION	ARTIFACTS	GENERATION	AND	CLAIM/ACHIEVEMENT	AUTHENTICATION 67

4.1 USING	DSNGROUND	STATIONS	TO	GENERATE	NAVIGATION	ARTIFACTS......................................................67

4.1.1 Authenticate	Claimed	Communication	Distance..................................................................................78

4.1.2 Authenticate	Achievement/Maintenance	of	Lunar	Orbit.................................................................78

4.2 USING	NON-DSNGROUND	STATIONS	TO	GENERATE	NAVIGATION	ARTIFACTS............................................89

4.2.1 Authenticate	Claimed	Communication	Distance..................................................................................89

4.2.2 Authenticate	Achievement/Maintenance	of	Lunar	Orbit.............................................................. 910

4.3 ADDITIONAL	SPECIFICATIONS	FOR	ARTIFACTS	TRACKING.............................................................................911

5 TEAMS	USE	THIRD-PARTY	LAUNCHERS........................................................................................1011
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1 Overview

1.1 Scope and Purpose

The purpose of this document is to describe the required navigation artifacts for 

Authenticating Claimed Communications Distances, and Verifying Achievement and 

Maintenance of Lunar Orbit for Compliance with Cube Quest Challenge Rules. The 

document first provides an introduction to the Cube Quest Challenge, and lists the 

reference document. Then the two methods of submitting the navigation artifacts are 

described. In section 4, the rules of generating navigation artifacts and rules of 

claims/achievements authentication will be discussed. Final section explains the rules for 

the competition teams obtain their own launch.

1.2 Project Introduction

The Cube Quest Challenge (CQC) of the Centennial Challenges Program (CCP) take 

qualified small satellites to demonstrate their operational techniques and technologies. 

The spacecrafts will demonstrate meaningful space operations in some manner. After a 

series of Ground Tournaments (GTs), qualified competitor teams will be offered a 

secondary payload launching opportunity on NASA’s Artemis I Mission, planned for no 

earlier than November 4, 2021. These spacecrafts will be inserted into a trans-lunar 

trajectory for in-space Challenge purposes. Competitor teams may also select a thirdparty launch provider to participate these Challenges. The Deep Space Derby Challenge 

will be conducted once competing team CubeSats have achieved, and maintain, a range 

of 3 million kilometers from Earth. The Lunar Derby Challenge will be conducted once 

competing team CubeSats have successfully achieved, and maintain, a verifiable lunar 

orbit as described in the Cube Quest Challenge Operations and Rules (OPSRUL). Prizes 

will be awarded to the teams who achieve communication, navigation and longevity 

objectives that have submitted navigation artifacts to authenticate the claimed 

achievement.

In the Deep Space Derby and Lunar Derby, the Centennial Challenge Program (CCP) 

Cube Quest Judges will verify that communications achievements eligible for Cube 

Quest Challenge prizes are performed under the prescribed conditions specified in the 

Rules. To enable verification, Teams are required to submit to Judges acceptable 

Navigation Artifacts defined here and according to procedures described here.

Judges use the Navigation Artifacts to ensure compliance with Cube Quest Challenge 

Rules. CCP Judges use the Navigation Artifacts to authenticate claimed CubeSat 

communications distances. CubeSat communications must occur from a range beyond 3 

million kilometers for eligibility for the Deep Space Derby Prizes. The CCP Judges also 
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use Navigation Artifacts to verify claims that CubeSats have achieved and maintain a 

verifiable lunar orbit, for eligibility for the Lunar Derby Prizes. 

This document describes the navigation artifacts required for the following objectives: (1) 

authenticating claimed Cube Quest communication distances, and (2) verifying the 

achievement and maintaining of Lunar Orbit for compliance with Cube Quest Challenge 

rules described in the Cube Quest Challenge Operation and Rules Rev. D.

All of the rules, constraints, and definitions found in the Cube Quest Challenge 

Operations and Rules (OPSRUL) apply to this document. If any conflicts are found 

between this document and the ORSUL, then the ORSUL normally takes precedence 

unless the NASA Cube Quest management office makes a waiver or notification in 

writing.

2 Applicable Documents

This document adheres to the Cube Quest Challenge operation and rules documents listed 

below. 

Document Name Doc No. Revision

Cube Quest Challenge Operations and Rules CCP-OPSRUL-001 Rev. D

Communications Procedure for Both InSpace ChallengesCCP-CQC-COMSPROC001Rev. A

 
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3 Navigation Artifacts Submission

Teams participating in one of the two In-Space Derby can submit Navigation Artifacts by 

one of the following two Approaches.

3.1 Submission Approach I

Teams may submit Navigation Artifacts based on telemetric data generated by DSN 

ground/tracking stations. Note that Teams would not be charged for using DSN 

communications/tracking services strictly for the purpose of generating Navigation 

Artifacts (only). (There is, however, a charge for using DSN services as the Team’s 

primary communications ground station for communications achievements eligible for 

Prizes. See Cube Quest Rules.)

3.2 Submission Approach II

Teams may submit Navigation Artifacts based on telemetric data generated by their own 

(or procured) communications ground/tracking stations. Note also that there is no 

requirement that Teams include a DSN RF-compatible transponder; however, in that case 

they must use their own ground stations to generate the required Navigation Artifacts for 

submittal to CQC Administrators.

4 Navigation Artifacts Generation and Claim/Achievement 

Authentication 

This section describes the rules of Navigation Artifacts generation using DSN Ground 

Station and non-DSN Ground Stations. Also, rules of claim/achievement authentication 

will be discussed.

4.1 Using DSN Ground Stations to Generate Navigation Artifacts

Teams may use NASA DSN services to generate Navigation Artifacts, providing that 

their CubeSats have DSN RF-compatible transponders. Teams must use X or S band, 

DSN RF-compatible transponders on their CubeSat. Teams give frequencies for up and 

down link, and give ephemeris files, in Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems 

(CCSDS) Orbit Ephemeris Message (OEM) format. 

DSN can “shadow track” CubeSat communications with 3rd party ground stations, in 

compatible X- and S-band spectra, by monitoring carrier signals and without needing to 

demodulate the information on the carrier signals.
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Teams must coordinate with DSN, for review of their shadow track plans with their DSN

RF-compatible transponders prior to Ground Tournament 4. In most cases, DSN will

waive an RF-Compatibility testing requirement with the Cubesat transponder, if the 

teams provide a copy of the compatibility test report with their tracking station.

DSN will "shadow track" the downlink carrier signal of the CubeSats and deliver the 

Doppler data to the Challenge Judges and to JPL MDNAV Section team via Cube Quest 

Challenge Administrator. The JPL MDNAV Section will authenticate claimed 

communications distances and verify achievement and maintenance of lunar orbit, and 

advise Judges accordingly.

4.1.1 Authenticate Claimed Communication Distance

For eligibility for Prizes, in conjunction with each communications achievement 

submitted, Teams must coordinate with DSN so that DSN can obtain one of the 

following:

1. 8 hours of 2-way Doppler tracking within 1 week of the claimed achievement, 

or

2. 8 hours of 1-way Doppler tracking within 1 week of the claimed achievement, 

where frequency stability (Δf/f) is less than or equal to 10-12 over a 24 hour 

period, or 

3. 8 hours of simultaneous 1-way Doppler tracking from stations separated by at 

least 3000 km within 1 week.

4.1.2 Authenticate Achievement/Maintenance of Lunar Orbit

At minimum, competitors must coordinate with DSN so that DSN can obtain at 

one of the following:

1. 2-way Doppler tracking for one orbital period within 1 week of the claimed 

achievement of lunar orbit, or

2. 1-way Doppler tracking for one orbital period within 1 week of the claimed 

achievement of lunar orbit, where frequency stability (Δf/f) is less than or 

equal to 10-12 over a 24-hour period, or

3. Simultaneous 1-way Doppler tracking for one orbital period from stations 

separated by at least 3000 km within 1 week (no stringent Δf/f requirement)

The predicted CubeSat trajectory during the tracking interval must be provided in 

Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) Orbit Ephemeris 

Message (OEM) format.

No radiometric ranging data is required.
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NOTE: 

1. if the orbit tracking data is not continuous due to lunar occultations of the spacecraft, it 

should cover most of the orbit that is not occulted, and all of the data should be within 4 

revolutions.

2. If the Team’s CubeSat transponder signal is coherent, then it’s possible for DSN to 

obtain 3-way Doppler if Teams notify DSN of Team’s ground station location and uplink 

frequency, and notify DSN of transmission dates and times.

3. If the Team’s transponder signal is non-coherent, then it is possible for DSN to obtain

1-way Doppler tracking data. DSN will track with two DSN complexes in parallel and 

JPL MDNAV will use difference techniques on the 1-way data to generate the 

information.

4.2 Using Non-DSN Ground Stations to Generate Navigation Artifacts

The navigation data described below must be submitted for every CubeSat transmission 

submitted for purposes of the in-space competitions. Date and time stamps must be 

included as directed in the Rules. Ground station operators employed by the Team must 

affirm by their signature, the accuracy of all information submitted. 

CCP reserves the right to assign a NASA-designated inspector to witness any operations. 

Teams will notify Cube Quest Administrators in advance of dates and times of ground 

stations operations, so that NASA-designated inspectors may travel for on-site witness.

4.2.1 Authenticate Claimed Communication Distance

At minimum, competitors must provide at least one of the following to Cube 

Quest Administrators, who will forward to JPL's MDNAV Section:

1. 8 hours of 2-way Doppler tracking within 1 week of the claimed achievement, 

or

2. 8 hours of 1-way Doppler tracking within 1 week of the claimed achievement, 

where frequency stability (Δf/f) is less than or equal to 10-12 over a 24 hour 

period, or

3. 8 hours of simultaneous 1-way Doppler tracking from stations separated by at 

least 3000 km within 1 week, or

4. 10 astrometric measurements spanning at least 2 days (e.g. collected over 3 

nights) within 1 week.

Some additional specifications on these tracking artifacts are:

1. The predicted CubeSat trajectory during the tracking interval must be 
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provided in Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) Orbit 

Ephemeris Message (OEM) format.

2. The tracking data must be provided in CCSDS Tracking Data Message 

(TDM) format.

3. Transmit/receive frequencies may be provided instead of Doppler shift data.

4. No radiometric ranging data is required.

5. If using Doppler data, it should have an accuracy of 1 mm/sec over a 60 

second compression period; a minimum of one data point per minute must be 

provided. 2-way Doppler may be reconstructed using telemetry instead of 

using a transponder.

6. Astrometric measurements should be accurate to 1 arc-sec (5 μrad) or better, 

which can be done with a 30 cm telescope if the CubeSat has a laser. Use of 

the Table Mountain Observatory could provide better accuracy if available. 

Astrometric measurements should be roughly equally spaced, if possible.

Teams may provide additional data that they feel strengthens their case at their 

discretion.

4.2.2 Authenticate Achievement/Maintenance of Lunar Orbit

At minimum, competitors must provide at least one of the following to Cube 

Quest Administrator, who will forward to JPL's MDNAV Section:

1. 2-way Doppler tracking for one orbital period within 1 week of the claimed 

achievement of lunar orbit, or

2. 1-way Doppler tracking for one orbital period within 1 week of the claimed 

achievement of lunar orbit, where frequency stability (Δf/f) is less than or 

equal to 10-12 over a 24 hour period, or

3. Simultaneous 1-way Doppler tracking for one orbital period from stations 

separated by at least 3000 km within 1 week (no stringent Δf/f requirement), 

or

4. At least 20 astrometric measurements covering at least one orbital period 

within 1 week.

NOTE: if the orbit tracking data is not continuous due to lunar occultations of the 

spacecraft, it should cover most of the orbit that is not occulted, and all of the data 

should be within 4 revolutions. Astrometric measurements should be roughly 

equally spaced, where possible.

4.3 Additional Specifications for Artifacts Tracking

Some additional specifications on these tracking artifacts are:

1. The predicted CubeSat trajectory during the tracking interval must be provided in 
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CCSDS OEM format.

2. The tracking data must be provided in CCSDS TDM format.

3. Transmit/receive frequencies may be provided instead of Doppler shift data.

4. No radiometric ranging data is required.

5. If using Doppler data, it should have an accuracy of 1 mm/sec over a 60 second 

compression period; a minimum of one data point per minute must be provided. 2-way 

Doppler may be reconstructed using telemetry instead of using a transponder.

6. Astrometric measurements should be accurate to 1 arc-sec (5 μrad) or better, which 

can be done with a 30 cm telescope if the CubeSat has a laser. Use of the Table 

Mountain Observatory could provide better accuracy if available.

Teams may provide additional data that they feel strengthens their case at their discretion.

5 Teams Use Third-Party Launchers

Competing teams may use third-party launchers to enter the In-Space Challenges. If the 

teams use NASA DSN services to generate navigation artifacts, all the requirements 

described in section 4.1 will be applicable. If the teams use non-DSN ground station to 

generate navigation artifacts, the data submitted shall meet the specification described in 

section 4.2. Additional specifications described in section 4.3 are applicable to both 

methods. All the navigation artifacts shall be submitted to Cube Quest Challenge 

Administrator.