RainCube, a Ka-band Precipitation Radar in a 6U CubeSat

RainCube (Radar in a CubeSat) is a 6U CubeSat mission between the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Tyvak
Nano-Satellite Systems (Tyvak). The objective of the mission is to develop, launch, and operate a 35.75 GHz nadirpointing
precipitation profiling radar payload to validate a new architecture for Ka-band radars and an ultra-compact
deployable Ka-band antenna design in the space environment. RainCube will also demonstrate the feasibility of a radar
payload on a CubeSat platform. The radar payload is the evolution of two previous JPL research and development
technologies – the miniaturized Ka-band atmospheric radar (miniKaAR) and the 0.5m diameter Ka-band parabolic
deployable antenna (KaPDA). JPL has contracted Tyvak to develop the spacecraft bus, integrate the payload, and
operate the spacecraft. RainCube is currently in integration and test with an expected ready-for-delivery in September
2017.