ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

CubeSat

A cubesat is a tiny satellite that is built like a cube. It is about the size of a shoebox, but instead of shoes, it has special instruments and equipment that can be sent into space.

Imagine you have a big box of lego blocks, and you want to build something small and simple, like a bird's nest. You only need a few lego blocks, and you can put them together in a particular way to create your nest. Similarly, scientists and engineers can use these tiny cubesats and put them together in a specific way to make a fully functional satellite that can do a job in space.

Cubesats usually weigh less than 1.3 kilograms (which is about the weight of a large pizza), and they are usually launched in groups or clusters.

These satellites can help us explore space by studying the Earth, taking pictures from above or collecting data from space. For example, cubesats can observe weather patterns, track the movements of ships, study the movement of the sun, and even help predict natural calamities like hurricanes and earthquakes.

Overall, cubesats are like small and mighty space robots, doing big jobs in space, and helping scientists and engineers learn more about our universe.