Today, about 570 of the roughly 1,400 operational satellites orbiting Earth belong to the U.S. They provide capabilities to communicate, collect information and support national security. These satellites provide a critical edge for America’s private industry and its military. But this dominance is fading fast.
Reports of China’s recent launch of the first “quantum” communications satellite raise the question of how the U.S. can best respond to its adversaries in space. According to China’s state-run news agency, the satellite “is designed to establish ‘hack-proof’ communications by transmitting uncrackable keys from space to the ground, and provide insights into the strangest phenomenon in quantum physics.” If the spacecraft accomplishes its mission and provides unbreakable encryption, China would be hardened to cyberattack.
It is clear that the need to be quick and nimble is critical at a time when countries such as China and Russia are using space as a way to advance their national ambitions. But how can the U.S. be agile in an environment that has historically been dominated by long development schedules, considerable expense and significant risk? The answer is small. Literally.
Cubesats have the potential to change the way we operate in space. Instead of building a satellite over the course of a decade at a cost of several hundred million dollars, we can build a lunch-box-sized cubesat (about 10 X 10 X 10 cm) (3.9 X 3.9 X. 3. 9 in.) within months for just $100,000 and change. These cubesats hitch a ride on a rocket with a bigger payload and launch into low Earth orbit (LEO). There, they begin their work.
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