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RainCube

retired

Technology DemonstrationLEOCOSPAR 1998-067NWLaunched 5/21/2018

Mission & Launch

Launch Mission: S.S. J.R. Thompson
Launch Vehicle: Antares 230
Launch Date: 5/21/2018
Last Contact: 12/22/2020

Orbit & Mass

Orbit Class: LEO
Altitude: 403 km
Inclination: 51.64 deg
Dry Mass: 12 kg
Total Mass: 12 kg

Payload Classification

Mission Type: Technology Demonstration
Payload Category: TECH
Payload Class: C

Organizations

Operator: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Manufacturer: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Registry

COSPAR ID: 1998-067NW
UN Registration: ST/SG/SER.E/877

Mentions

4

All verified mentions of this spacecraft in source documents.

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Information Value0.0-5.0

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RainCube is a cubesat equipped with a Ka-band radar that uses a deployable antenna.

CapabilityValue 4.5Dec 12, 2018NASA moving forward on implementing Earth science decadal survey recommendations

Smallsats, including RainCube, provided measurements of a powerful typhoon in the western Pacific Ocean in September 2018.

Capability

Value 3.5

Dec 12, 2018

NASA moving forward on implementing Earth science decadal survey recommendations

RainCube performed the first successful test of its Ka-band radar in orbit.

CapabilityPlanValue 4.0Aug 6, 2018NASA bolsters smallsat science programs

RainCube is a cubesat that was deployed from the International Space Station to test the use of Ka-band radar for measuring precipitation.

CapabilityGeneralValue 4.0Aug 6, 2018NASA bolsters smallsat science programs