Deep Space NanoSats - Positioned for Exponential Growth

We are poised at the beginning of a new era in solar system exploration, in which cubesats and nanosats can potentially play a big role. In 2012 a small group of like-minded enthusiasts at JPL predicted exponential growth in deep space cubesats with at least 10 exploring our solar system by 2020, and a 100 by 2030. Since then, JPL has built and flight-qualified the two INSPIRE spacecraft as pathfinders for future deep space cubesat missions, and the two MARCO spacecraft were assembled and tested in time to make the initial Insight launch opportunity in 2016 – now under consideration for the next available window. We have ongoing studies for lunar exploration and asteroid rendezvous missions, a Venus atmosphere sampler, and other concepts have been proposed to NASA. The Europa mission has 10 academic institutes under contract to study cubesats that would ride along with the main spacecraft to enable it to get closer to the surface of Jupiter’s most intriguing moon. Last year, ESA announced that its AIM asteroid probe will carry a small number of cubesats, when it launches in 2020. In the commercial world, Deep Space Industries are planning to host multiple cubesats in a mission to a Near Earth Asteroid. The prospects for near-term growth look reasonably healthy. This paper will provide an overview of deep space and LEO cubesat developments at JPL, and discuss the foundation they will provide for the growing community of interplanetary cubesat pioneers over the coming decade and a half.