NCube_(satellite) | TriviaQuestions.online

⭐ In the context of CubeSats, NCube is characterized by its adherence to specifications primarily intended to…

The CubeSat standard, which NCube follows, was developed to make satellite design, manufacturing, and testing more accessible, thereby lowering costs and simplifying the process for academic, commercial, and amateur projects.

⭐ Core Definition: NCube (satellite)

NCube (Norwegian CubeSat) was a series of two Norwegian satellites, made by students at several Norwegian universities and university colleges. Due to problems during launch (NCube-1) and deployment into orbit (NCube-2), neither of the satellites became operational.

Both satellites were built to the CubeSat picosatellite standard, which defined their mass and size (10 cm cube). This standard allows one or more cube satellites to be launched by 'piggybacking' with a larger satellite. In this way the smaller satellites get a cheap ride into orbit.

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👉 NCube (satellite) in the context of CubeSat

A CubeSat is a class of small satellite with a form factor of 10 cm (3.9 in) cubes. CubeSats have a mass of no more than 2 kg (4.4 lb) per unit, and often use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components for their electronics and structure. CubeSats are deployed into orbit from the International Space Station, or launched as secondary payloads on a launch vehicle. As of December 2023, more than 2,300 CubeSats have been launched.

In 1999, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) professor Jordi Puig-Suari and Bob Twiggs, a professor at Stanford University Space Systems Development Laboratory, developed the CubeSat specifications to promote and develop the skills necessary for the design, manufacture, and testing of small satellites intended for low Earth orbit (LEO) that perform scientific research and explore new space technologies. Academia accounted for the majority of CubeSat launches until 2013, when more than half of launches were for non-academic purposes, and by 2014 most newly deployed CubeSats were for commercial or amateur projects.

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