Nanosatellites

32 III-3cNetworks of Nanosatellites

Richard Joye

KCHK–Key Capital Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong

32.1 Introduction

In the world of satellites, nanosatellites with weights ranging from 1–10 kg have played a major role in opening up the space industry to new entrants. Universities, labs, and research centers from across the globe have embraced the nanosatellite platform because of its low cost and high degree of standardization. CubeSat-based satellites, from 1 unit to 27, have allowed NewSpace companies to build profitable, sometimes disruptive businesses leveraging this new, affordable, and easy access to space. Countries have gained their space nation title, thanks to the tiny platform, in only few years starting with nothing else than the willingness to own, launch, and operate a satellite.

Nanosatellites, because of their very small mass, are of course bearing limitations. They are often used as demonstrators of technologies, as a proof of know-how, or represent the final step in an academic project with no real commercial sense. But nanosatellites working in networks have tremendous potential. Alongside constellations of larger satellites, fleets of nanosatellites represent a significant segment of the space value chain of the next decades.

32.2 Why Networks?

The laws of physics are modeling and impacting the capabilities and specificities of our satellites. Because of gravity, the Earth rotation, and other laws and phenomena, there is no perfect satellite mass, orbit altitude, ...