RaInCube

RaInCube

Names	RainCube
Mission type	Technology demonstration
Operator	NASA/JPL
COSPAR ID	1998-067NW[1]
SATCAT no.	43548[1]
Website	Website
Mission duration	2 years, 5 months and 10 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	6U CubeSat
Manufacturer	NASA/JPL
Launch mass	12kg
Dimensions	10 × 20 × 30 cm (3.9 × 7.9 × 11.8 in)
Start of mission
Launch date	May 21, 2018 (2018-05-21), 08:44:06 UTC[2]
Rocket	Antares 230
Launch site	Wallops Pad 0A
Contractor	Orbital ATK
Deployed from	International Space Station
Deployment date	July 13, 2018 (2018-07-13)[3]
End of mission
Disposal	Reentry
Decay date	Dec. 24, 2020
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee altitude	399 km (248 mi)
Apogee altitude	407 km (253 mi)
Inclination	51.64°
Transponders
Band	Ka band
Instruments
Ka band radar

RaInCube, also stylized as RainCube, was a 6U CubeSat made by NASA as an experimental satellite. It had a small radar and an antenna. It was put into orbit in May 2018 and was deployed from the International Space Station on June 25, 2018. It re-entered Earth's atmosphere and burned up on Dec. 24, 2020.^[4][5] It was used to track large storms.^[6]

Mission objectives

RainCube's mission objectives were to:^[7][4]

• Demonstrate low-cost Ka band radar technology, with a vertical resolution of 250m and a horizontal resolution of at least 10 km. Its radar sensitivity should also be better than 20dBZ.
• Use Ka-band radar from a 6U CubeSat
• Profiling precipitation falling on Earth

Launch and deployment

Main article: Cygnus OA-9E

Launch of an Antares 230 rocket with Cygnus OA-9E

RaInCube was launched as part of the Cygnus OA-9E Commercial Resupply Services mission on board an Antares 230 rocket on May 21, 2018, at Wallops Pad 0A. The Cygnus spacecraft docked with the International Space Station on May 24, 2018, three days later. RaInCube was finally deployed from the International Space Station on July 13, 2018.^[3][2][8]

Gallery

• 
  Render of RaInCube
• 
  RaInCube on Earth
• 
  RaInCube's interior
• 
  RaInCube's antenna opening

References

1. "Technical details for satellite RAINCUBE". N2YO.com - Real Time Satellite Tracking and Predictions. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
2. Clark, Stephen. "Antares rocket launch kicks off space station's next commercial cargo delivery – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved 2021-12-17.
3. "RainCube". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
4. "JPL | CubeSat | RainCube". www.jpl.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
5. "A Pioneering NASA Mini Weather Satellite Ends Its Mission". www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/a-pioneering-nasa-mini-weather-satellite-ends-its-mission. Retrieved 2021-02-22.
6. "NASA Tests Tiny Satellites to Track Global Storms". NASA/JPL. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
7. "RaInCube - eoPortal Directory - Satellite Missions". directory.eoportal.org. Retrieved 2019-07-30.
8. "OA-9 Cygnus cargo ship arrives at ISS". SpaceFlight Insider. 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2021-12-17.

External links