NASA has selected the Atmospheric Oxygen CubeSat (AtmOCube) mission—led by the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder—for development.
The mission will investigate the region between 80 and 120 kilometers (50 to 75 miles) above Earth’s surface—a critical but understudied boundary between the atmosphere and space. Conditions in this region influence satellite operations, communication systems, and navigation technologies, yet the processes that shape it remain poorly understood.
“NASA’s selection marks a major milestone for our team and partners,” said LASP researcher and AtmOCube principal investigator Richard Eastes. “The scientific data gathered by AtmOCube will strengthen predictions for future satellite operations and improve our understanding of conditions in near‑Earth space.”
A key focus of AtmOCube is the role of atmospheric gravity waves. These waves originate below 80 kilometers and propagate upward, but their behavior and impact on the thermosphere and ionosphere have long been difficult to quantify.
The AtmOCube mission will fly a small satellite, roughly the size of a small suitcase, to orbit Earth at an altitude of approximately 500 kilometers (300 miles) and carry two instruments designed to measure emissions from atmospheric oxygen molecules. These measurements will enable the team to derive high-resolution, three-dimensional temperature profiles and determine how much energy and momentum gravity waves carry into space.
“Gravity waves are known to influence the upper atmosphere, but their effects have remained elusive because, according to models, they can change dramatically at altitudes of 80 to 120 kilometers,” said Eastes. “We haven’t had sufficient data to answer our questions, but this mission will provide the detailed observations needed to understand how energy moves from the lower atmosphere into near Earth space, improving our ability to model and forecast space weather.”
AtmOCube is an international collaboration between LASP, Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany, NorthWest Research Associates, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s High Altitude Observatory. LASP will serve as the lead institution, developing the satellite bus and detectors, while Forschungszentrum Jülich will build two identical scientific instruments funded through separate German sources.
The $8.2 million award was granted through NASA’s Heliophysics Flight Opportunities in Research and Technology (H-FORT) program, which supports developing small‑satellite, CubeSat, and other low‑cost platforms to enable high‑impact research in heliophysics.
The AtmOCube project will now begin a six-month concept and planning phase, with a launch currently targeted for 2029.
By Sara Pratt, LASP Sr. Communications Specialist
Founded a decade before NASA, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder (LASP) is revolutionizing human understanding of the cosmos. LASP is deeply committed to inspiring and educating the next generation of space explorers. From the first exploratory rocket measurements of Earth’s upper atmosphere to trailblazing observations of every planet in the solar system, LASP continues to build on its remarkable history with a nearly $1 billion portfolio of new research and engineering programs.
LASP is a national leader in small satellites, with an industry-leading 100% return on science from more than 20 SmallSat missions encompassing heliophysics, astrophysics, and Earth science. We are training the next generation of space scientists and engineers, with students working alongside professional staff through every mission phase. LASP’s full-cycle capabilities—from concept through scientific analysis—enable fast, flexible development, making LASP a trusted mission partner for SmallSat science.
