WITHDRAWN: A Comprehensive Review of CubeSat Communication Subsystems: Antennas, Modulation Schemes, and Oscillators for Educational and Amateur Missions
Abstract
Cubesats, small and cost-effective satellites, have revolutionized space exploration by enabling a variety of scientific, communication, and Earth observation missions. They are widely used in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), with varied applications such as remote sensing, Earth monitoring, and other observable tasks. Cubesats also contribute to interplanetary exploration, micro meteoroid monitoring, deep space missions using microsatellites, and lunar observations, as suggested by recent studies. Due to their compact size and limited power, Cubesats rely on advanced technologies that ensure efficient communication, reliable signal processing, and precise time synchronization. As the efficiency of the power system directly influences the satellite's lifetime, analyzing the power output dissipated and used by each module is crucial, and a brief comparison of this has been provided in this survey paper. Cubesats come in various sizes, ranging from 1U to 42U, with the size tailored to the specific application. Educational or student developed Cubesats typically range from 1U to 6U, and their applications include weather monitoring, RGB imagery sensors, thermal hyper spectral imaging, among others. Recent advancements have led to a shift towards optical communications in Cubesats, but this paper focuses on RF communication, which is still the most widely used technology in Cubesats today. Several surveys on Cubesats have been conducted previously, covering CubeSat subsystems and modules, as listed in Section 1.1. These surveys provide insights into a wide range of available modules and how they re utilized to design low-cost Cubesats for various applications.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Spacecraft Design and Technology
Satellite Communication Systems
Space Technology and Applications
Publication details
- Journal / source
- AIAA SciTech Forum
- Publication date
- 8 January 2026