CatSat is a 6U CubeSat built and tested by University of Arizona students, faculty, and staff.

The satellite will launch atop a Firefly Alpha rocket into a nearly sun synchronous orbit around the Earth. Thanks to some trickery on behalf of orbital mechanics, this peculiar orbit ensures that the satellite will remain constantly in daylight, maximizing the capabilities of the mission.

During the mission’s six month expected lifetime, CatSat will detect high frequency signals from HAM radio operators all around the globe with its WSPR antenna, demonstrate an inflatable antenna for high bandwidth transmission, and provide high resolution imaging of the Earth. The data this satellite provides will give insights on the variation of the ionosphere and the technical capabilities of the new systems being tested.