Argentina's UNLP USAT 1 CubeSat set for SpaceX launch in October
The Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) has completed the first Argentine university‑built 3U CubeSat, USAT 1. The satellite, weighing about three kilograms and measuring 10 × 10 × 34 cm, was flown as hand luggage by faculty liaison Nicolás Bardella to Spain, where the company UARX integrated it into the dispenser that will eject it in orbit. Project coordinator Sonia Botta confirmed the final checks and fit‑check were performed before closure of the gate.
USAT 1 carries an onboard computer, thermal‑control system, power subsystem, communications package and a multi‑antenna GPS receiver. Its mission will use GNSS signals to gather atmospheric data (pressure, temperature, humidity) and surface measurements (soil moisture, height, vegetation). The launch is scheduled for October from the United States aboard a SpaceX rocket.
Development began in 2021 during the COVID‑19 pandemic, driven by UNLP’s Centre for Aerospace Technology (CTA) and the Electronic Navigation Systems group (SENyT). The platform also underpinned the ATENEA microsatellite, which was selected by NASA as a secondary payload for the Artemis II crewed mission, linking the university’s work to an international lunar program.
Entities: Marcos Actis · Nicolás Bardella · Sonia Botta · USAT 1 · Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] USAT 1 provided the technological base for the ATENEA microsatellite, which was selected by NASA for the Artemis II mission. (Technology transfer)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The mission will use GNSS signals to measure atmospheric pressure, temperature, humidity, and surface properties such as soil moisture and vegetation. (Mission objective)
- [● 3 SOURCES] USAT 1 was transported to Spain and integrated into a dispenser by the company UARX. (Project team)
- [● 3 SOURCES] USAT 1 is the first Argentine university‑built 3U CubeSat. (UNLP project)
- [● 3 SOURCES] USAT 1 weighs about three kilograms and measures 10 × 10 × 34 cm. (Technical specifications)
- [● 3 SOURCES] USAT 1 carries an onboard computer, thermal‑control system, power subsystem, communications package, and a multi‑antenna GPS receiver. (Technical description)
- [● 3 SOURCES] USAT 1 will be launched on a SpaceX rocket from the United States in October. (Project schedule)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Development of USAT 1 started in 2021 during the pandemic, led by UNLP’s Centre for Aerospace Technology (CTA) and the Electronic Navigation Systems group (SENyT). (Project history)