RadCube was an ESA technology demonstration mission, focused on demonstrating the use of small satellites (CubeSat form factor) and minaturised instrument technologies for space weather monitoring.
Mission Summary
RadCube was an ESA technology demonstration mission performed under the auspices of the GSTP programme. The CubeSat development was led by C3S (Hungary), and successfully launched on 17 August 2021 at 01:27 UTC to a sun-synchronous low-Earth orbit (LEO). After three years in orbit, RadCube re-entered in August 2024.
Imperial College London provided MAGIC (MAGnetometer from imperial College), a vector magnetometer built using magnetoresistive sensors. MAGIC was part of RadMag, a compact instrument suite led by EK (Hungary) which also consists of energetic particle detectors (RadTel). MAGIC will be deployed by means of a tape spring motorized boom provided by Astronika (Poland).
MAGIC on RadCube successfully demonstrated the use of magnetoresistive sensor technology in measuring Earth's magnetic field as well as disturbances relating to space weather. This has led to the further implementation of MAGIC instruments on the upcoming ERSA and HENON missions.
RADCUBE
RadCube
- Launch Date: 17 August 2021
- Orbit: Low-Earth Orbit, Sun-synchronous.
- Mission Duration: 3 years completed on-orbit.
- Imperial College Involvement: MAGIC: 3-axis magnetoresistive sensor to measure the Earth's magnetic field and perturbations caused by geomagnetic storms and substorms.
- Imperial College Team Lead: Prof. Jonathan Eastwood.
External Links
ESA Technology CubeSat programme
MAGIC on RadCube conference presentations:
- 4th ESA CubeSat Industry Days, Jun 2019;
- 10th European CubeSat Symposium, Dec 2018;
- 15th European Space Weather Week, Nov 2018;
- Open Source Cubesat Workshop, Sep 2018
Imperial College Contact
For more information, please contact:
Prof. Jonathan Eastwood
The Blackett Laboratory
Imperial College London
SW7 2AZ
UK
Email: jonathan.eastwood@imperial.ac.uk