CubeSat swarms for radar altimetry

By docking several CubeSats with each other via long and deployable booms, the AltiCube+ concept will provide a low-cost long fixed-baseline (of 10 meters or more) radar altimeter solution using an aggregated CubeSat swarm. This will enable timely and accurate monitoring of global ocean and inland water levels and, therefore, help human beings against water-related hazards.

ESA is helping to fund a mission concept study for this idea, proposed by Delft University of Technology together with industrial partners COMET Ingeniería and ISISPACE. PULSARS is one of the seven selected ideas of ESA Preparation’s open call for innovative new mission concepts enabled by CubeSat swarms. Read more about the selected ideas here.