A CubeSat is a class of miniaturized satellite built to a standardized form factor of 10x10x10 cm units (called 1U). Common sizes include 3U, 6U, and 12U. Developed originally at Cal Poly and Stanford in 1999 as an educational tool, CubeSats have evolved into capable platforms for Earth observation, IoT connectivity, technology demonstration, and scientific research. Their standardized form factor simplifies launch integration and dramatically reduces development costs.
CubeSats typically cost $50,000 to $500,000 to build and can be deployed from the ISS, launched as secondary payloads, or carried on dedicated rideshare missions. While limited in power, payload volume, and propulsion compared to larger satellites, advances in miniaturized components have enabled CubeSats to perform missions that would have required much larger spacecraft a decade ago.