Abstract

In the last 10-20 years, the simplified structure and low-cost attributes of CubeSats have given universities and other student groups the opportunity to build and launch their own small satellites. This was the case with the University of Southern California’s 4th CubeSat, Magneto. Magneto’s mission objective is to validate two magnetometers, provided in partnership by Omega Engineering, by attempting to map the Earth’s magnetic field in a low Earth orbit (LEO).
This goal presented a multifaceted problem, characterized by the design challenges associated with building a lowcost CubeSat that can collect and downlink data from all over the globe. A balance had to be maintained, operating within onboard storage limitations and keeping power demands low, while still downlinking enough widespread data to make the mission meaningful. Amateur radio operators around the world were proposed to act as the …

Date

September 22, 2025

Authors

Claire Carlton, Everett Maness, David Barnhart