Artist’s concept of the Interplanetary NanoSpacecraft Pathfinder In Relevant Environment (INSPIRE) CubeSat project – Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

TechNewsDaily contributor Rachel Kaufman interviewed James Cutler KF6RFX about two CubeSats that aim to travel into interplanetary space.

The two Interplanetary NanoSpacecraft Pathfinder In Relevant Environment (INSPIRE) satellites measure just 10x10x30 cm and each weigh under 4kg.

The dual INSPIRE CubeSats will demonstrate functionality, communication, navigation and payload hosting in interplanetary space. INSPIRE is a NASA JPL partnership with the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Cal Poly San Luis Obispo; and the University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with Goldstone-Apple Valley Radio Telescope.

Read Rachel Kaufman’s article at
http://www.space.com/20022-tiny-cubesat-satellites-head-for-space.html

NASA Announces New CubeSat Space Mission Candidates
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/jpl/news/cubesat20130226.html

2012 – NanoTHOR: Low-Cost Launch of Nanosatellites to Deep Space
http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/niac/2012_phase_I_fellows_hoyt.html