 | |
| Names | RainCube |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Technology demonstration |
| Operator | NASA/JPL |
| COSPAR ID | 1998-067NW[1] |
| SATCAT no. | 43548[1] |
| Website | Website |
| Mission duration | 2 years, 5 months and 10 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft type | 6U CubeSat |
| Manufacturer | NASA/JPL |
| Launch mass | 12kg |
| Dimensions | 10 × 20 × 30 cm (3.9 × 7.9 × 11.8 in) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | May 21, 2018 (2018-05-21), 08:44:06 UTC[2] |
| Rocket | Antares 230 |
| Launch site | Wallops Pad 0A |
| Contractor | Orbital ATK |
| Deployed from | International Space Station |
| Deployment date | July 13, 2018 (2018-07-13)[3] |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Reentry |
| Decay date | Dec. 24, 2020 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Perigee altitude | 399 km (248 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 407 km (253 mi) |
| Inclination | 51.64° |
| Transponders | |
| Band | Ka band |
| Instruments | |
| Ka band radar | |
RaInCube, also stylized as RainCube, was a 6U CubeSat made by NASA as an experimental satellite. It had a small radar and an antenna. It was put into orbit in May 2018 and was deployed from the International Space Station on June 25, 2018. It re-entered Earth's atmosphere and burned up on Dec. 24, 2020.[4][5] It was used to track large storms.[6]
RainCube's mission objectives were to:[7][4]
RaInCube was launched as part of the Cygnus OA-9E Commercial Resupply Services mission on board an Antares 230 rocket on May 21, 2018, at Wallops Pad 0A. The Cygnus spacecraft docked with the International Space Station on May 24, 2018, three days later. RaInCube was finally deployed from the International Space Station on July 13, 2018.[3][2][8]
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