³Cat-4 Mission: a 1-unit cubesat for earth observation with a L-band radiometer and a GNSS-reflectometer using software defined radio

Abstract

Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry and L-band microwave radiometry have been used for soil moisture, biomass, and cryosphere studies. Combining both technologies in a low-power and cost-effective solution could largely improve current Earth observations. 3 Cat-4 mission is a 1-Unit CubeSat technology demonstrator of the Flexible Microwave Payload - 1, a reduced size payload that combines these two technologies. This work presents the objectives of the 3 Cat-4 mission and the details of the spacecraft architecture and performance. Each spacecraft subsystem is detailed at hardware and software levels. In addition, the presented results indicate that the current spacecraft design will survive the flight conditions (i.e. thermal and structural ones).