RapidCube-6 CubeSat Bus
Rapid Cubes GmbH
6U CubeSat bus platform with failure-tolerant architecture, S/X-band links, and configurable attitude control for LEO missions up to 650 km.
Technical specifications
- CubeSat class
- 8 kg
- Size (stowed)
- 22 x 10 x 36 cm (6U) / 22 x 10 x 45 cm (6U XL)
- Bus architecture
- Failure-tolerant
- Payload mass
- ~4 kg
- Payload volume
- 2U – 5U
- Payload power
- 10 W (Si) / 20 W (GaAs) per channel, peak 20/30 W, 12 V bus
- Attitude determination
- < ±1° (MEMS sun sensor, magnetometer, gyro)
- Attitude pointing
- < ±5° (3-axis, reaction wheels + magnetorquer); option: < ±0.1° / < ±0.5°
- TT&C
- S-band FDD 2.0/2.2 GHz, up to 100 kbps uplink, 2 Mbps downlink
- High-rate downlink
- X-band 8 GHz, up to 100 Mbps
- Max orbit altitude
- 650 km (debris mitigation compliant)
- Design lifetime
- 2 years
About
RapidCube-6 is a 6U (and 6U XL) CubeSat bus platform designed for rapid and reliable deployment of small satellite missions. The failure-tolerant bus supports up to 4 kg of payload in 2U-5U of payload volume, with configurable power from 10 W (Si solar cells) or 20 W (GaAs cells) per channel, and peak power of 20/30 W across up to five channels at 12 V nominal bus voltage. Attitude determination is achieved to better than ±1° using MEMS sun sensors, magnetometer, and gyroscope, with 3-axis pointing to ±5° via reaction wheels and magnetorquers (optional high-precision pointing to ±0.1° / ±0.5°). The S-band full-duplex link provides up to 100 kbps uplink and 2 Mbps downlink, with an optional 8 GHz X-band data link at up to 100 Mbps. The platform is designed for orbits below 650 km to comply with European debris mitigation codes of conduct, with a design lifetime of two years.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.
