MarCO: Interplanetary Mission Development on a CubeSat Scale

INSPIRE: Interplanetary NanoSpacecraft Pathfinder in Relevant Environment

Klesh, A., Baker, J. D., Bellardo, J. M., Castillo-Rogez, J. C., Cutler, J., Halatek, L., Lightsey, E. G., Murphy, N., & Raymond, C. A. (2013) · AIAA SPACE Conference & Exposition · doi:10.2514/6.2013-5323 · Cited by 55 · see citing works

Adapting a Large-Scale Multi-Mission Ground System for Low-Cost CubeSats

Quach, W. L., DeForrest, L., Klesh, A., & Schoolcraft, J. (2014) · SpaceOps Conference (SpaceOps) · doi:10.2514/6.2014-1634 · Cited by 10 · see citing works

Data Link Protocol

Barksdale, W. J. (1986) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4684-5164-1_7 · Cited by 9 · see citing works

An Overview of Cube-Satellite Propulsion Technologies and Trends

Tummala, A. R., & Dutta, A. (2017) · Aerospace · doi:10.3390/aerospace4040058 · Cited by 160 · see citing works

Autonomous navigation for deep space small satellites: Scientific and technological advances

Turan, E., Speretta, S., & Gill, E. K. A. (2022) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2021.12.030 · Cited by 153 · see citing works

Routing in the Space Internet: A contact graph routing tutorial

Fraire, J. A., Jonckère, O. D., & Burleigh, S. C. (2020) · Journal of Network and Computer Applications · doi:10.1016/j.jnca.2020.102884 · Cited by 93 · see citing works

Multiband Reconfigurable Antennas for 5G Wireless and CubeSat Applications: A Review

Ramahatla, K., Mosalaosi, M., Yahya, A., & Basutli, B. (2022) · IEEE Access · doi:10.1109/access.2022.3166223 · Cited by 75 · see citing works

Trajectory design for a cislunar CubeSat leveraging dynamical systems techniques: The Lunar IceCube mission

Bosanac, N., Cox, A. D., Howell, K. C., & Folta, D. C. (2017) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2017.12.025 · Cited by 61 · see citing works

Envelop of reachable asteroids by M-ARGO CubeSat

Topputo, F., Wang, Y., Giordano, C., Franzese, V., Goldberg, H., Lissi, F. P., & Walker, R. (2021) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2021.02.031 · Cited by 48 · see citing works

Deep-Space Optical Navigation for M-ARGO Mission

Franzese, V., Topputo, F., Ankersen, F., & Walker, R. (2021) · The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences · doi:10.1007/s40295-021-00286-9 · Cited by 40 · see citing works

Fundamental Ground Experiment of a Water Resistojet Propulsion System: AQUARIUS Installed on a 6U CubeSat: EQUULEUS

Asakawa, J., Koizumi, H., Nishii, K., Takeda, N., Murohara, M., Funase, R., & Komurasaki, K. (2018) · TRANSACTIONS OF THE JAPAN SOCIETY FOR AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE SCIENCES AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY JAPAN · doi:10.2322/tastj.16.427 · Cited by 34 · see citing works

Simulation of a CubeSat with internal heat transfer using Finite Volume Method

Filho, E. M., Seman, L. O., & Nicolau, V. D. P. (2021) · Applied Thermal Engineering · doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2021.117039 · Cited by 26 · see citing works

Performance analysis of nano-sat scale μCAT electric propulsion for 3U CubeSat attitude control

King, J. T., Kolbeck, J., Kang, J. S., Sanders, M., & Keidar, M. (2020) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.10.006 · Cited by 22 · see citing works

Interplanetary CubeSats for asteroid exploration: Mission analysis and design

Benedetti, G., Bloise, N., Boi, D., Caruso, F., Civita, A., Corpino, S., Garofalo, E., Governale, G., Mascolo, L., Mazzella, G., et al. (2018) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2018.05.011 · Cited by 21 · see citing works

Material selection for a CubeSat structural bus complying with debris mitigation

Slejko, E. A., Gregorio, A., & Lughi, V. (2020) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2020.11.037 · Cited by 20 · see citing works

An Integrated Thermal-Electrical Model for Simulations of Battery Behavior in CubeSats

Vega Martinez, S., Filho, E. M., Seman, L. O., Bezerra, E. A., Nicolau, V. D. P., Ovejero, R. G., & Leithardt, V. R. Q. (2021) · Applied Sciences · doi:10.3390/app11041554 · Cited by 18 · see citing works

Modeling of the CubeSat deployment and initial separation angular velocity estimation

Guo, J., Zhang, J., Yue, C., & Wang, F. (2019) · Aerospace Science and Technology · doi:10.1016/j.ast.2019.105477 · Cited by 18 · see citing works

Design and Analysis of the Cis-Lunar Navigation for the ArgoMoon CubeSat Mission

Lombardo, M., Zannoni, M., Gai, I., Casajus, L. A. G., Gramigna, E., Manghi, R. L., Tortora, P., Tana, V. D., Cotugno, B., Simonetti, S., et al. (2022) · Aerospace · doi:10.3390/aerospace9110659 · Cited by 18 · see citing works

In-orbit micro-propulsion demonstrator for PICO-satellite applications

Pallichadath, V., Turmaine, L., Melaika, A., Gelmi, S., Ramisa, M. V., Rijlaarsdam, D., Silva, M. D. A. C. E., Guerrieri, D. C., Uludağ, M. Ş., Zandbergen, B. T. C., et al. (2019) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2019.09.004 · Cited by 17 · see citing works

Asteroid flyby opportunities using semi-autonomous CubeSats: Mission design and science opportunities

Machuca, P. M.-G., Cuartielles, J.-P. S., & Greenland, S. (2018) · Planetary and Space Science · doi:10.1016/j.pss.2018.11.002 · Cited by 17 · see citing works

Mission testing for improved reliability of CubeSats

Doyle, M., Dunwoody, R., Finneran, G., Murphy, D., Reilly, J. D., Thompson, J., Walsh, S., Erkal, J., Fontanesi, G., Mangan, J., et al. (2021) · International Conference on Space Optics (ICSO) · doi:10.1117/12.2600305 · Cited by 15 · see citing works

Research on Design, Simulation, and Experiment of Separation Mechanism for Micro-Nano Satellites

Zhao, X., Zhao, C., Li, J., Guan, Y., Chen, S., & Zhang, L. (2022) · Applied Sciences · doi:10.3390/app12125997 · Cited by 14 · see citing works

Small Satellite Electro-Optical System (EOS) Technological and Commercial Expansion

Gadisa, D., & Bang, H. (2023) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.09.010 · Cited by 13 · see citing works

Mars On-Site Shared Analytics Information and Computing

Hook, J. V., Vaquero, T., Rossi, F., Troesch, M., Net, M. S., Schoolcraft, J., de la Croix, J.-P., & Chien, S. (2019) · Proceedings of the International Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling · doi:10.1609/icaps.v29i1.3556 · Cited by 13 · see citing works

High-fidelity trajectory design to flyby near-Earth asteroids using CubeSats

Machuca, P. M.-G., Cuartielles, J.-P. S., Masdemont, J. J., & Gómez, G. (2019) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2019.09.041 · Cited by 13 · see citing works

Aspects of nanospacecraft design for main-belt sailing voyage

Iakubivskyi, I., Mačiulis, L., Janhunen, P., Dalbins, J., Noorma, M., & Slavinskis, A. (2020) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2020.07.023 · Cited by 12 · see citing works

Exploring Transfers between Earth-Moon Halo Orbits via Multi-Objective Reinforcement Learning

Sullivan, C. J., Bosanac, N., Anderson, R. L., Mashiku, A. K., & Stuart, J. R. (2021) · IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) · doi:10.1109/aero50100.2021.9438267 · Cited by 11 · see citing works

Attitude Control of Spacecraft Swarms for Visual Mapping of Planetary Bodies

Nallapu, R. T., & Thangavelautham, J. (2019) · IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) · doi:10.1109/aero.2019.8742116 · Cited by 12 · see citing works

Neural networks to increase the autonomy of interplanetary nanosatellite missions

Feruglio, L., & Corpino, S. (2017) · Robotics and Autonomous Systems · doi:10.1016/j.robot.2017.04.005 · Cited by 11 · see citing works

CubeSat Flight Software: Insights and a Case Study

Eshaq, M., Zitouni, M. S., Atalla, S., Mansoori, S. A., & Macdonald, M. (2025) · Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets · doi:10.2514/1.a35882 · Cited by 9 · see citing works

MarCO Radio Occultation: How the First Interplanetary Cubesat Can Help Improve Future Missions

Oudrhiri, K., Yang, O., Buccino, D., Kahan, D. S., Withers, P. G., Tortora, P., Matousek, S., Lay, N. E., Lazio, T. J. W., Krajewski, J., et al. (2020) · IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) · doi:10.1109/aero47225.2020.9172734 · Cited by 9 · see citing works

Embedded Firmware Development for a Novel CubeSat Gamma-Ray Detector

Mangan, J., Murphy, D., Dunwoody, R., Doyle, M., Ulyanov, A., Hanlon, L., Shortt, B., & McBreen, S. (2021) · IEEE International Conference on Space Mission Challenges for Information Technology · doi:10.1109/smc-it51442.2021.00009 · Cited by 9 · see citing works

Design and sensitivity analysis of spacecraft swarms for planetary moon reconnaissance through co-orbits

Nallapu, R. T., & Thangavelautham, J. (2020) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2020.10.008 · Cited by 9 · see citing works

Resilient Multi-Agent Collaborative Spacecraft Inspection

Choi, C., Nakka, Y. K., Rahmani, A., & Chung, S. (2023) · IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) · doi:10.1109/aero55745.2023.10115886 · Cited by 8 · see citing works

LabOSat-01: A Payload for In-Orbit Device Characterization

Sanca, G. A., Barella, M., Gomez-Marlasca, F., Alvarez, N., Levy, P., & Golmar, F. (2023) · IEEE Embedded Systems Letters · doi:10.1109/les.2023.3249408 · Cited by 8 · see citing works

Preliminary Trajectory Analysis of CubeSats with Electric Thrusters in Nodal Flyby Missions for Asteroid Exploration

Quarta, A. A. (2025) · Remote Sensing · doi:10.3390/rs17030513 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Systematic Fuzz Testing Techniques on a Nanosatellite Flight Software for Agile Mission Development

Gutierrez, T., Bergel, A., Gonzalez, C. E., Rojas, C. J., & Díaz, M. (2021) · IEEE Access · doi:10.1109/access.2021.3104283 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Architecture Trades for Accessing Small Bodies with an Autonomous Small Spacecraft

Papais, S., Hockman, B. J., Bandyopadhyay, S., Karimi, R. R., Bhaskaran, S., & Nesnas, I. (2020) · IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) · doi:10.1109/aero47225.2020.9172471 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Development and Laboratory Testing of a CubeSat-Compatible Staged Ionic-Liquid Electrospray Propulsion System

Pettersson, G. M., Jia-Richards, O., & Lozano, P. (2022) · AIAA SciTech Forum · doi:10.2514/6.2022-0040 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Cognitive communications for NASA space systems

Chelmins, D., Briones, J. C., Downey, J. A., Clark, G. J., & Gannon, A. M. (2021) · Institution of Engineering and Technology eBooks · doi:10.1049/pbte095e_ch16 · Cited by 6 · see citing works

A light sail astrobiology precursor mission to Enceladus and Europa

Lingam, M., Hibberd, A., & Hein, A. M. (2024) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2024.02.040 · Cited by 7 · see citing works

Lunar CubeSat Lander to Explore Mare Tranquilitatis pit

Kalita, H., & Thangavelautham, J. (2020) · AIAA SciTech Forum · doi:10.2514/6.2020-2163 · Cited by 6 · see citing works

Nano-Sat Scale Electric Propulsion for Attitude Control-Performance Analysis

King, J., Kolbeck, J., Kang, J. S., Sanders, M., & Keidar, M. (2019) · 2019 IEEE Aerospace Conference · doi:10.1109/aero.2019.8741404 · Cited by 5 · see citing works

Autonomous formation flight using solar radiation pressure

Thoemel, J., & van Dam, T. M. (2021) · CEAS Space Journal · doi:10.1007/s12567-020-00344-2 · Cited by 5 · see citing works

Navigating to small-bodies using small satellites

Schwartz, S. R., Nallapu, R. T., Gankidi, P., Dektor, G., & Thangavelautham, J. (2018) · IEEE/ION Position Location and Navigation Symposium · doi:10.1109/plans.2018.8373517 · Cited by 5 · see citing works

Deep Space Network Radio Science and Ground‐Based Planetary Radar in the Next Decade

Park, R. S., Riedel, J. E., Rodriguez-Alvarez, N., Brozović, M., Benner, L. A. M., Vergados, P., Buccino, D., Jacobs, C. S., Locke, L. S., Asmar, S. W., et al. (2025) · Radio Science · doi:10.1029/2025rs008296 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Electric propulsion systems

Manente, M., & Magarotto, M. (2023) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-824541-5.00018-2 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Hybrid Propulsion System Enabling Orbit Insertion Delta-Vs within a 12 U Spacecraft

Jens, E. T., Karp, A. C., Rabinovitch, J., & Nakazono, B. (2019) · IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) · doi:10.1109/aero.2019.8742097 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Automated design architectures for co-orbiting spacecraft swarms for planetary moon mapping

Nallapu, R. T., & Thangavelautham, J. (2020) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2020.07.014 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Cooperative planning for multi-site asteroid visual coverage

Satpute, S. G., Bodin, P., & Nikolakopoulos, G. (2021) · Advanced Robotics · doi:10.1080/01691864.2021.1955003 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Mode Transition in Capillary Capacitively Coupled Radio Frequency Thruster

Quraishi, A., Kronhaus, I., Reeh, A., & Probst, U. (2021) · IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science · doi:10.1109/tps.2020.3047011 · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Line-Of-Sight Extraction Algorithm for Deep-Space Autonomous Navigation

Bella, S., Andreis, E., Franzese, V., Panicucci, P., & Topputo, F. (2021) · Virtual Community of Pathological Anatomy (University of Castilla La Mancha) · Cited by 4 · see citing works

Thrust Model and Trajectory Design of an Interplanetary CubeSat with a Hybrid Propulsion System

Quarta, A. A. (2024) · Actuators · doi:10.3390/act13100384 · Cited by 3 · see citing works

Toward Applying Fuzz Testing Techniques on the SUCHAI Nanosatellites Flight Software

Gutierrez, T., Bergel, A., Gonzalez, C. E., Rojas, C. J., & Díaz, M. (2020) · IEEE Congreso Bienal de Argentina (ARGENCON) · doi:10.1109/argencon49523.2020.9505388 · Cited by 3 · see citing works

Low-Thrust Trajectory Design for A Cislunar CubeSat Leveraging Structures from the Bicircular Restricted Four-Body Problem

Pritchett, R., Howell, K. C., & Folta, D. C. (2019) · NASA Technical Reports Server (NASA) · Cited by 3 · see citing works

Micro-Nozzle Simulation and Test for an Electrothermal Plasma Thruster

Croteau, T. J. (2018) · doi:10.15368/theses.2018.143 · Cited by 3 · see citing works

Autonomous Wheel Off-Loading Strategies for Deep-Space CubeSats

Pizzetti, A., Rizza, A., & Topputo, F. (2022) · Aerotecnica Missili & Spazio · doi:10.1007/s42496-022-00137-2 · Cited by 2 · see citing works

Data-driven Health Management System for Multi-Spacecraft Formation Flying

Gutierrez, T., Coulter, N., Moncayo, H., Nakka, Y. K., Choi, C., Rahmani, A., & Gupta, A. (2023) · AIAA SciTech Forum · doi:10.2514/6.2023-0129 · Cited by 2 · see citing works

Autonomous interplanetary navigation using full-disk solar imaging

Franzese, V. (2025) · Advances in Space Research · doi:10.1016/j.asr.2025.04.073 · Cited by 2 · see citing works

Engineering-Oriented Layout Optimization and Trade-Off Design of a 12U CubeSat with In-Orbit Validation

Zhang, J., Liu, Z., Luo, L., Zhao, C., & Li, H. (2025) · Aerospace · doi:10.3390/aerospace12060506 · Cited by 2 · see citing works

Rideshare Strategies for Small Mars Missions

Woolley, R. C., Barba, N. J., & Giersch, L. R. (2021) · IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) · doi:10.1109/aero50100.2021.9438174 · Cited by 2 · see citing works

Expanding Mars Science Return in the MSR Era: The Need for, Capabilities of, and Challenges Associated with Small Mars Science Missions

Kaufman, J., Banfield, D., Boland, J., Eby, M. A., Hayne, P. O., Lang, J. A., Mischna, M. A., Renno, N. O., Staehle, R. L., Thurman, S. W., et al. (2021) · doi:10.3847/25c2cfeb.725ca299 · Cited by 2 · see citing works

Fast development and validation of a Sensing Suite system for CubeSats

Bollattino, S., & Stesina, F. (2024) · Acta Astronautica · doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2024.07.005 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Capillary-fed Evaporative Microthruster for Nano/Microsatellites

Sharma, A. K., Dev, N., & Dash, S. (2022) · AIAA SciTech Forum · doi:10.2514/6.2022-0240 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Comparing platform paradigms: CubeSats versus SmallSats

Barnhart, D. A., & Rughani, R. (2023) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-824541-5.00020-0 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

The EXTREMA Thruster-In-The-Loop Experiment: a facility for hands-on testing of spacecraft guidance algorithms

Morselli, A., & Topputo, F. (2024) · IFAC-PapersOnLine · doi:10.1016/j.ifacol.2024.08.452 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

NAV-Landmarks: Deployable 3D Infrastructures to Enable CubeSats Navigation Near Asteroids

Fraia, M. Z. D., Chermak, L., Cuartielles, J.-P. S., Felicetti, L., & Scannapieco, A. F. (2020) · IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) · doi:10.1109/aero47225.2020.9172720 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

A parametric data handling evaluation framework for autonomous lunar networks

Rimani, J., Mascolo, L., & Fraire, J. A. (2021) · CEAS Space Journal · doi:10.1007/s12567-021-00390-4 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Kernel Embedding Approaches to Orbit Determination of Spacecraft ClustersPreprint

Sharma, S., & Cutler, J. (2018) · arXiv (Cornell University) · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1803.00650 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Design of a Martian Communication Constellation of CubeSats

Pirkle, S. J. (2020) · doi:10.15368/theses.2020.110 · Cited by 1 · see citing works

Low-energy trajectory design and autonomous navigation to flyby near-Earth asteroids using CubeSats

Machuca, P. M.-G., Cuartielles, J.-P. S., Soler, J. M., & Gómez, G. (2018) · RECERCAT (Consorci de Serveis Universitaris de Catalunya)

Advancing Asteroid Surface Exploration Using Sublimate-Based Regenerative Micropropulsion And 3D Path Planning

Wilburn, G. (2019) · UA Campus Repository (The University of Arizona)

On the Application of Machine Learning to Planetary Sciences

Cambioni, S. (2020) · UA Campus Repository (The University of Arizona)

Mission Concept: Cave and Lave Tube Exploration on Moon, Mars and Icy Moons for Eventual Settlement

Kalita, H., Quintero, A., Wissing, A., Haugh, B., Angie, C., Nail, G., Wilson, J. H., Richards, J., Landin, J., Kukkala, K., et al. (2021) · doi:10.3847/25c2cfeb.92996d41

Gradientbased multidisciplinary optimization of heat transfer on small spacecraft

Mačiulis, L. (2021) · doi:10.20334/2021-015-m

Concept trade-off and detailed design of a 1U NanoSat 100W deployable solar array and it’s in-orbit demonstration preparation

Sinn, T., Lund, T., Gruber, J., Titz, A., & Raharijaona, A. (2022) · AIAA SciTech Forum · doi:10.2514/6.2022-0847

Spectroscopy on CubeSats and SmallSats

Elsaesser, A., Mabey, P., Merenda, F., & Lindner, R. C. (2023) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-824541-5.00026-1

Semi-global Exponential Stability for Dual Quaternion Based Rigid-Body Tracking Control

Zinage, V., Ram, S. P. A., Akella, M. R., & Bakolas, E. (2024) · AIAA SciTech Forum · doi:10.2514/6.2024-1587

A Feasibility Study of Microsat Mission Architectures for Ring Science in the Uranian System

Olson, A.-Y., Sinha, A., Chhabra, A., Fry, S., Ahner, K., Beeson, R., & Rajguru, A. (2024) · AIAA SciTech Forum · doi:10.2514/6.2024-1060

Physics Informed Neural Network for Optimal Rendezvous Guidance of Low-Thrust Cubesats

Das, A., & Giri, D. K. (2025) · IEEE Space, Aerospace and Defence Conference (SPACE) · doi:10.1109/space65882.2025.11171316

Printed Circuit Magnetorquer for a PocketQube Satellite

Rawat, A., Kulkarni, N. A., McGrellis, A., Hogge, N., Bashensky, A., Young, H., Thomas, B., Ross, S., & Denby, B. (2026) · AIAA SciTech Forum · doi:10.2514/6.2026-0174

Bhutan’s First CubeSat Mission for Space Environment Observation: On-Orbit Magnetometry, Thermal Profiling, and Radiation Dosimetry

Dorji, L. T., Dorji, C., Gajmer, S., Lepcha, P., & Wangchuk, K. (2025) · International Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering Researches (ICECER) · doi:10.1109/icecer65523.2025.11401105

A Two-Step Variable-Speed Control Moment Gyroscope Control Strategy for 3U Nanosatellite Attitude Maneuvers

Endo, K., Kanamaru, M., & Tanaka, K. (2026) · Aerospace · doi:10.3390/aerospace13070582

MarCO: Early Operations of the First CubeSats to Mars

Klesh, A., Clement, B., Colley, C., Essmiller, J., Forgette, D., Krajewski, J., Marinan, A., & Martin-Mur, T. J. (2018) · Digital Commons - USU (Utah State University) · Cited by 40 · see citing works

MarCO: CubeSats to Mars in 2016

Klesh, A., & Krajewski, J. (2015) · Digital Commons - USU (Utah State University) · Cited by 19 · see citing works

Schedule and Program

(2020) · IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) · doi:10.1109/aero47225.2020.9172334

MarCO Radio Occultation: How the First Interplanetary Cubesat Can Help Improve Future Missions

Oudrhiri, K., Yang, O., Buccino, D., Kahan, D. S., Withers, P. G., Tortora, P., Matousek, S., Lay, N. E., Lazio, T. J. W., Krajewski, J., et al. (2020) · IEEE Aerospace Conference (AERO) · doi:10.1109/aero47225.2020.9172734 · Cited by 9 · see citing works

NASA Hears MarCO CubeSats Loud and Clear from Mars

Greicius, T. (2018)