SSTL Begins Phase 0 Study for CosmoCube Mission

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) has commenced a three-month Phase 0 study for the CosmoCube mission. The University of Cambridge is the grant holder under the UK Space Agency’s Space Science and Exploration Bilateral Programme.

The mission aims to operate in low lunar orbit (LLO), taking advantage of the far side of the Moon’s radio-quiet environment to observe the 21-cm hydrogen line over a redshift range of approximately 13 to 285. This will provide a continuous observational sweep of the Universe’s early baryonic content, from the “Dark Ages” through to the Cosmic Dawn (around 10 to 330 million years after the Big Bang).

As part of the study, SSTL will examine various non-CubeSat platform configurations for hosting the CosmoCube radio frequency payload. The goal is to refine cost estimates, development timelines (excluding the payload), and overall mission architecture. These findings will feed into proposals to the UK Space Agency’s Science Bilaterals programme, other UKSA initiatives, or potentially an ESA Mini-M class mission.

SSTL is working with a consortium that includes the University of Cambridge, the University of Portsmouth, and RAL Space.