# CubeSat Imaging Payload Design for Environmental Monitoring of Greenland
## 1 Introduction  
CubeSats have redefined the landscape of space exploration and technological innovation. These standardized cube-shaped nanosatellites, measuring multiples of 10 cm on each side, allow organizations and institutions of varying scales to participate in cutting-edge space explorations [1]. However, CubeSats face several challenges, one of which is the bandwidth limitation and short transmission windows from orbit to the ground station. In addition, power, thermal, and physical constraints require high standards to select the right electronic components given they are typically constructed from Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) components [2]. CubeSats can be considered IoT devices that enable remote sensing applications to collect data for specific domains. For Earth observation, cameras are commonly installed in these satellites to meet their mission objectives, within the constraints of the platform. Multispectral imaging provides a comprehensive view of the targeted areas [3]. The wide-field camera captures larger geographic features, the telephoto camera covers targeted sites, and the infrared camera cab complement these with temperature-related imaging [4]. Together, these capabilities enable a multifaceted approach to data acquisition and analysis [5]. In addition, a processor unit must process images locally (on the satellite) or send them to the ground station. Furthermore, the development of the electronic part of the payload must take into account environmental considerations, ensuring the resilience of the payload to the harsh conditions of space [6]. Software integration must be meticulously planned tooptimize data processing and transmission. The optics are engineered to meet exacting standards based on commercial machine vision cameras [7]. In this context, the Danish Student CubeSat Program's (DISCO) second satellite design iteration is an Earth observation CubeSat (DISCO-2). The DISCO program is a collaboration between [[https://international.au.dk/](https://international.au.dk/)]([https://international.au.dk/](https://international.au.dk/)) (accessed on 9 December 2024) (Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark), [[https://www.sdu.dk/en](https://www.sdu.dk/en)]([https://www.sdu.dk/en](https://www.sdu.dk/en)) (accessed on 9 December 2024) (the University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark), [[https://en.itu.dk/](https://en.itu.dk/)]([https://en.itu.dk/](https://en.itu.dk/)) (accessed on 9 December 2024) (the IT University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark), and the European Space Education Resource Office Denmark, and pursues multiple objectives to cultivate expertise and interest within Denmark and in the wider field [8]. The broader goal of the DISCO project is educational, and aims to provide hands-on experience and to promote experiential learning within space technology [9]. Consequently, students at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral level are involved in all stages of concept development, design, production and operation of the DISCO-2 satellite. Nevertheless, the DISCO-2 satellite has a primary scientific mission objective, which was developed in collaboration with the Arctic Research Center (ARC) and the Interdisciplinary Centre for Climate Change at Aarhus University. DISCO-2 will provide temporal image data of designated areas in eastern Greenland, in support of ARC's ground-based field research projects and ongoing glacier research activities, including photogrammetry of glaciers [10]. To do this, DISCO-2 will be placed in a Solar Synchronous Orbit (SSO) overflying Greenland up to eight times a day. The goal is to use capture and return only selected images containing relevant information for the mission, rejecting, for example, images with excessive cloud cover, fog, or without light. To enable these types of application, DISCO-2 dives into unexplored territory by testing machine learning image processing systems directly onboard the satellite, demonstrating a commitment to innovation and technological advancement [11].