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
Mark BetancourtMeanwhile, competitor Planet Labs is deploying cubesats from the International Space Station for tasks such as urban planning and reservoir monitoring.—Elizabeth Howell
Elizabeth HowellExamples of CubeSat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
For this first launch, the rocket has multiple payloads and science experiments including a small space weather satellite, known as a CubeSat, called CURIE (CubeSat Radio Interferometry Experiment) provided by NASA’s Launch Services Program based out of Kennedy Space Center.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 9 July 2024
Alpha Flight 5's payloads have been selected through NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative, which aims to provide U.S. educational institutions and nonprofits with affordable access to space.
—Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 26 June 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
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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
For this first launch, the rocket has multiple payloads and science experiments including a small space weather satellite, known as a CubeSat, called CURIE (CubeSat Radio Interferometry Experiment) provided by NASA’s Launch Services Program based out of Kennedy Space Center.
—Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 9 July 2024
Alpha Flight 5's payloads have been selected through NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative, which aims to provide U.S. educational institutions and nonprofits with affordable access to space.
—Brenna Gauchat, The Arizona Republic, 26 June 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
Cite this Entry
“CubeSat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/CubeSat. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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