2013 Workshop: Cubesat science in Alaska
This workshop will provide a forum for discussion of potential new opportunities for cubsat launches from the Kodiak Launch Facility operated by the Alaska Aerospace Corporation. Presentations will discuss the facility and launch providers, upcoming launch opportunities, and other development facilities within Alaska. Presentations will be invited from cubesat developers interested in these new opportunities.
Cubesats are a relatively new technology that will revolutionize our ability to address certain CEDAR science questions. They provide low cost access to low-earth orbit while still providing significant capabilities. Because of their low cost, cubesats allow individual universities or small groups to propose and build space instruments that would not have been possible under the previous paradigm of large satellites costing hundreds of millions of dollars with individual instruments costing millions of dollars. Despite their relative newness, several groups in the CEDAR community are developing cubesats and a few have already flown.
The Kodiak Launch Complex operated by the Alaska Aerospace Corporation is capable of launching satellites into high inclination orbits over a wide range of azimuths without land over-flight during the boost phase. This ability is attracting new customers to the facility and may provide opportunities for cubesat launches; in particular it will benefit cubesats focused on high-latitude phenomena.