Small satellite the size of a shoebox changed the world

In the past 2 decades since its 'birth', a small satellite the size of a CubeSat shoebox has made a significant contribution to changing the world.

The uses of CubeSat . satellite

CubeSat was invented by Professor Bob Twiggs in 1999 as an educational tool for students at Stanford University (USA). Professor Bob Twiggs told the BBC (UK): 'They can't put a lot of things in there, it's really challenging. This forced them to give up adding more things to the design'.

A CubeSat satellite at a NASA lab. (Photo: nasa.gov)

Normally, satellite launch usually costs about 500 million USD, but for CubeSat, the price is only about 100,000 USD. Faster and cheaper satellite assembly has made it possible to now have hundreds of CubeSats in Earth's orbit. These satellites are created by universities, startups, and governments.

CubeSat typically stays active for 2-5 years before igniting in the atmosphere, the lifespan of these satellites is based on how high they were launched into orbit. The first six CubeSat satellites were launched into orbit in June 2003 from the launch site in Russia.

Reduce deforestation

The Norwegian government has partnered with satellite company Planet to tackle deforestation worldwide. Accordingly, Planet owns 180 CubeSat satellites that have continuously taken pictures of Earth. The cameras on the CubeSat can record evidence of deforestation.

Planet CEO Will Marshall said: 'The Norwegian government has paid for data to track deforestation in 64 countries. We provide information to the Forestry Ministry in those countries where deforestation is happening and Norway will fund them through an arrangement to help stop it'.

Modern Slavery Discovered

Unit 'The Right Lab' at the University of Nottingham (UK) has used satellite images to penetrate the underworld of forced labor. Recently, 'The Right Lab' used images obtained from CubeSat to mark the temporary camps of Bangladeshi fruit pickers in Greece. The team then teamed up with a local NGO to visit the camps they found.

Professor Doreen Boyd, who led the project, said: 'They can talk to immigrants to get more information about what's going on with their living situation.

Keep a close eye on endangered animals

CubeSat has changed the world. (Image: Getty Images).

Earlier this year, a team of students from Italy and Kenya used CubeSat to track birds and mammals in Kenya National Park.

Daniel Kiarie, a student at Nairobi, said: 'There is conflict between humans and wildlife. For example, when elephants intrude on farmers' crops, destroy properties and even kill people. So we want to help prevent this by providing information on the direction of the animals and warning people before they reach the villages."

Clean up space junk

Global networks have tracked down nearly 30,000 pieces of space debris floating around the Earth, from retired satellites to rocket parts. There is a lot of space junk that is too small to be traced or large enough to pose a threat to satellites and astronauts on board.

Scientists are getting close to finding a way to 'catch' objects in the universe thanks to CubeSat. They used CubeSat as a stuntman for space junk in the tests. In 2018, the European research project RemoveDEBRIS captured and released two CubeSat satellites using hooks and nets.

This year, the Japanese company Astroscale also launched the ELSA-d spacecraft. This vehicle has successfully 'dropped and caught' the CubeSat thanks to the magnetic field system.

Discover the universe

While most of the CubeSats are focused on the Earth, a small group is tasked with heading towards the stars.

In 2018, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the first CubeSats into orbit. Since then, CubeSat satellites named MarCO-A and MarCO-B have sent a lot of important information about Earth as they approach Mars.

In 2022, NASA plans to launch 10 more CubeSat into orbit. The mission of these satellites is to test the effects of cosmic radiation on living things and to deposit water on the Moon's south pole. These studies are all part of a program that hopes to return humans to the Moon.

Wind turbine repair

There are several CubeSat 'fleets' working together in orbit to form a 'cheap internet of things'. This network links humans to sensor-equipped objects around the world.

Many farmers are already using sensors to keep a close eye on water levels at animal feeders or storage towers. This makes it possible for them not to have to do the inspection themselves.

In addition, CubeSat also helps to increase the efficiency of renewable energy. Conventional wind turbines are serviced twice a year. Therefore, if a turbine blade is damaged, it can take months for this to be detected and repaired.

A company called Ping Services has created sensors that monitor the sound of turbines as they rotate. From there, the company will be able to identify changes in sound that reflect damaged turbine blades. Information will be transmitted to the turbine operator via the CubeSat network. This means turbines can be repaired faster and more efficiently.