Mission CosmoCube

About Mission CosmoCube

• Mission CosmoCube is a proposed suitcase-sized satellite mission designed to study the cosmic dark age, the period before the formation of the first stars.
• Developed By: The mission is being developed by an international team of scientists led by the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.
• Aim: The mission aims to detect the faint 21-centimetre line, or hydrogen line, from more than 13.5 billion years ago and study the cosmic dark age.
• Working Mechanism:
  • Lunar Shield: It would orbit the Moon and use its far side as a natural shield against radio interference from Earth.
  • Observation Period: It would spend around 40 minutes on the lunar far side during every two-hour orbit to collect low-frequency radio measurements.
  • Data Processing: Onboard checks and mathematical models would help remove interference from the spacecraft, the Milky Way, and other sources.
• Key Features:
  • Dark Matter Study: The observations could provide clues about how dark matter helped bring matter together to form the first stars and galaxies.
  • Small but Advanced: Despite its small size, the satellite would use a lightweight radio antenna and systems to determine its position.
  • Mission Duration: The mission would last two years and collect around 1,000 hours of data.
  • Expected Timeline: The mission could be ready for launch within about five years.
• Potential challenge: Increasing lunar activity and infrastructure on the Moon’s far side could make it difficult to preserve the naturally quiet radio environment.