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- SH44A-05: The PADRE Mission Blueprint: Accelerating Scientific Instrument Development Through Commercial CubeSat Partnerships
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NOLA CC
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Ace Stratton, University of California Berkeley (First Author, Presenting Author)
Chris Moeckel, University of California Berkeley
Juan Camilo Buitrago-Casas, University of California Berkeley
Christopher Smith, University of California Berkeley
Viktor Mihaylov, Endurosat
Giuseppe Naso, Endurosat
Juan Carlos Martinez Oliveros, University of California Berkeley
CubeSats from commercial providers are changing how we explore space. These small, modular ‘off-the-shelf’ satellites let the space science community skip building a spacecraft from the ground up and instead use commercial “bus” platforms — pre-built spacecraft — so they can focus on the science that matters most.The Solar Polarimetry and Directivity X-ray Experiment (PADRE) mission shows what’s possible with this model. Launched on June 23, 2025, PADRE will capture detailed measurements of solar X-ray polarization and directivity, giving scientists new insights into solar flares. It’s also the first NASA mission to fly on EnduroSat’s CubeSat platform, demonstrating how academic teams and commercial providers can team up to deliver important science from small satellites.
Our experience offers a roadmap for others considering this path. While CubeSats can save time and money, they aren’t “plug-and-play.” Integrating a custom payload with a commercial platform comes with its own host of challenges. We share our lessons from PADRE to help future teams navigate this process, so they can take full advantage of CubeSats while avoiding hurdles that are unique to this type of partnership.
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