S-CUBE [PERC]
Official name S-CUBE
Alternative name S-CUBE
Cospar ID 1998-067GY
Norad ID 40898
Launch date 1998-11-20
Launch site TTMTR
Launch vehicle H-2B-304
Country/Organization Japan
Type application Technology
Operator PERC/Chitech, Tohoku University
RCS size SMALL
Decay date 2016-11-23
Shape Box
Mass (kg) 4
Height (m) 0.3
Width (m) 0.1
Depth (m) 0.3
Span (m^2) 0.3
Lifetime 6 months
Contractors PERC/Chitech, Tohoku University
Equipment CCD camera, PMT
Propulsion None
Configuration CubeSat (3U)
Power Solar cells, batteries

S-CUBE or S3 (Shootingstar Sensing Satellite) is Japanese 3U Cubesat project for observation of meteors from low earth orbit.

S-CUBE is a partnership between Planetary Exploration Research Center of Chiba Institute of Technology (PERC/Chitech) in Narashino and Tohoku University in Sendai.

The 3U satellite bus is developed on the base of the Raiko cubesat. It features 3-axis magnetic torquers and gravity-gradient stabilization by an extendible boom.

The scientific instruments consist of a CCD camera inherited from SpriteSat and a Photomultiplier tube (PMT) for detection at ultraviolet wavelengths.

The S-CUBE mission has following goals:

  • Detect UV emission from a meteor by PMT, which is used as a trigger of a camera (minimum success)
  • Take an image of meteor by a camera to estimate the meteoroid size from brightness (minimum success)
  • Obtain the flux (i. e., size distribution) of meteors (full success)
  • Estimate the compositions of meteors quantitatively from emission from species, such as sulfur (optional)

The satellite was delivered to the ISS by the HTV 5 cargo craft. It was deployed on 17 September 2015.

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
S-CUBE 1998-067GY 1998-11-20 TTMTR H-2B-304 with HTV 5, CALET, Flock-2b 1, ..., 14, SERPENS, GOMX 3, AAUSAT 5