RAPID: Establishing International Collaboration for a CubeSat-Borne Magnetometer

This is a short-term (one-year) effort to coordinate the testing, delivery, and integration of a new miniature magnetic field instrument for a cubesat being built and launched by Kyung Hee University (KHU) in S. Korea. The new science magnetometer for cubesats is being developed at University of New Hampshire through a separate effort, funded by NASA, and will be contributed free of charge to this project. The cubesat named SIGMA (Scientific cubesat with

Instruments for Global Magnetic field and rAdiation) is currently being developed by KHU with funding from the Korean government and is scheduled for launch into a low-Earth orbit in 2015. The main purpose of the SIGMA mission is cubesat technology demonstration.

With the addition of a science grade magnetometer, the mission will provide interesting and important data pertaining to waves in the magnetosphere and their role in energization and decay of the Earth radiation belts. Furthermore, the project will provide in-flight qualification and in-space demonstration of the new magnetometer, making it a valuable asset for future cubesat missions both in the US and internationally. Finally, the effort will foster and expand an ongoing collaboration on cubesat projects between universities in the US and the KHU in South Korea and will establish an early career scientist in a key coordinating role.