CubeSat Requirements Checklist: From First Concept to Launch-Ready Satellite

Why a CubeSat Requirements Checklist Matters

Many CubeSat projects start with an exciting idea but stall when requirements are unclear. A simple, structured checklist helps university and high school teams move from concept to launch without missing critical technical, regulatory, or schedule steps. This guide walks through the major requirement areas every team should address before calling a satellite launch ready. It is written with student teams in mind, but the same logic applies to research and commercial missions using nanosatellite platforms from providers such as Blackwing Space.

1. Mission and Stakeholder Definition

Before writing any technical requirements, confirm the basics:

• Mission objective is clearly stated in one or two sentences.
• Primary stakeholders are identified, including faculty, departments, sponsors, and any external partners.
• Target orbit, mission duration, and success criteria are defined at a high level.
• Educational outcomes for students are written down and aligned with courses or programs.
• Budget range and funding sources are understood, even if not final.

2. System Level Requirements

System level requirements describe what the entire CubeSat must do, not how it is implemented:

• Mission data products are defined, such as images, telemetry, sensor readings, or communication links.
• Required mission lifetime and minimum success duration are specified.
• Pointing accuracy, data rate, and duty cycle expectations are captured.
• Top level mass, volume, and power limits are compatible with CubeSat standards.
• Interfaces to the launch deployer conform to the size and safety requirements of the selected launch provider.

3. Payload Requirements

The payload is the reason for the mission. High quality payload requirements include:

• Clear measurement or demonstration goals for the payload.
• Defined operating modes, including when the payload is on, off, or in safe mode.
• Expected data volume per orbit and total mission data volume.
• Thermal, power, and mechanical constraints for integration with the satellite bus.
• Calibration and validation plans, including any preflight test setups.

When teams use a commercial nanosatellite bus from an American manufacturer such as Blackwing Space, payload requirements can be connected early to standard electrical and mechanical interfaces, which reduces risk and integration time.

4. Platform and Subsystem Requirements

Once the payload is defined, the team can refine requirements for the satellite platform:

• Structure: CubeSat unit size (for example 1U, 3U, 6U) and required access panels.
• Power: orbit average power budget, peak loads, and margins for growth.
• On board computer: processing needs, memory, and interface counts.
• Attitude determination and control: required pointing performance and knowledge accuracy.
• Communications: frequency bands, data rates, ground station compatibility, and link budget targets.

Commercial platforms such as those built by Blackwing Space provide baseline specifications that student teams can use as a starting point, then refine as mission level requirements become clearer.

5. Regulatory and Licensing Requirements

No CubeSat launches without meeting regulatory requirements. Every team should document:

• Frequency licensing path and responsible organization.
• Space object registration process in the relevant country.
• Orbital debris and deorbit compliance, including expected lifetime.
• Any export control considerations for hardware, software, or data.
• Institutional approvals from the university, district, or sponsoring organization.

Working with an experienced nanosatellite provider helps teams verify that the satellite design supports the deployer and regulator expectations for safety, separation, and end of life behavior.

6. Ground Segment and Operations Requirements

A launch ready satellite is only useful if the team can operate it and receive data:

• Ground station location, capabilities, and ownership are defined.
• Pass scheduling approach is documented, including who is on console.
• Command authority, procedures, and safety rules are described.
• Data handling, storage, and distribution to students and researchers are planned.
• Operations timeline covers commissioning, nominal operations, and end of mission.

7. Testing and Verification Requirements

Requirements are only meaningful if there is a plan to verify them. A complete CubeSat checklist should include:

• Functional test plans for each subsystem and the integrated spacecraft.
• Environmental test requirements, such as vibration, thermal cycling, and burn in.
• Interface tests between payload and bus, and between bus and deployer.
• Software and firmware test levels, including hardware in the loop testing.
• Completion criteria for a final readiness review before delivery.

8. Schedule and Risk Requirements

Student teams operate inside academic calendars and graduation cycles. It is important to treat schedule as a first class requirement:

• Key milestones with dates, including design reviews, integration, and delivery.
• Identification of long lead items such as radios, deployers, or specialized sensors.
• Risk list with likelihood and impact, plus mitigation strategies.
• Contingency margin in schedule and budget for late changes.
• Plans for knowledge transfer as students graduate.

Using a Commercial CubeSat Platform to Meet Requirements

Many universities and high schools intentionally choose a commercial nanosatellite platform so that they can spend more time on payloads, data, and student learning. Blackwing Space designs CubeSat buses that align with standard deployers, documented interfaces, and U.S. manufacturing and supply chain expectations. This allows teams to map their requirements directly onto a known platform specification instead of guessing at every subsystem.

By following a clear CubeSat requirements checklist from concept through launch readiness, student teams improve their chances of delivering a working spacecraft on schedule. A disciplined approach to requirements, paired with a proven nanosatellite platform, turns an ambitious idea into a mission that can launch, operate, and return data for years to come.