CubeSat

noun

Cube·​Sat ˈkyüb-ˌsat 

variants or less commonly cubesat

plural CubeSats also cubesats

: an artificial satellite typically designed with inexpensive components that fit into a cube with sides 10 centimeters in length

In the DIY culture of CubeSat builders, simple (read "cheap") is good.

—Mark Betancourt

Meanwhile, competitor Planet Labs is deploying cubesats from the International Space Station for tasks such as urban planning and reservoir monitoring.

—Elizabeth Howell

Examples of CubeSat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Today, a high school team can put a tiny CubeSat into space for around the cost of a midsize car. — Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025

In addition to those missions, the European Space Agency launched its own CubeSat to test 5G communications from orbit. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 July 2025

Kenya is fostering a new generation of space professionals through university CubeSat programs and national innovation challenges, integrating students into mission planning and hands-on satellite development. — Shelli Brunswick, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025

In technical terms, the small satellite is what's called a CubeSat, which is a a class of nanosatellites. — Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 22 Sep. 2024

The tech startup is now partnering with a previous competitor, Spire Global, to develop the CubeSat for their quantum magnetometer. — IEEE Spectrum, 5 Oct. 2023

One of the most recent trials involved small-scale plasma thrusters attached to a CubeSat (miniature satellite), enabling it to power itself into Earth’s atmosphere and burn up once its mission is over. — Jason Thomson, The Christian Science Monitor, 5 Apr. 2023

Word History

Etymology

cube entry 1 + sat(ellite)

First Known Use

2000, in the meaning defined above