A Cubesat is a miniaturized satellite that typically uses commercial off the shelf components for its electronics. They are being increasingly attractive for small budget space science missions, especially in the context of universities, although commercial applications become more and more frequent. Radiation qualification according to standard procedures for equipment aboard Cubesats being expensive and time-consuming, CERN’s qualification technologies (CHARM facility, RADMON radiation monitor) and procedures can be extended to radiation testing of components used in Cubesats.

The aim of the project is to demonstrate that the CHARM test facility can provide a radiation test environment equivalent to a CubeSat mission, produce two payload cards of which one will be launched into space with a CubeSat (conditional on support by ESA) and develop a qualification procedure at CHARM for CubeSats.