Scientific Status and a Review of Recent Achievements in CubeSat Technology

Document Type : reviewed article

Author
Malek Ashtar University of Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Shahin Shahr, Iran
10.22034/jssta.2026.500931.1224
Abstract
CubeSats are small, low-cost, and highly scalable satellites that have recently become essential tools in space research, education, and commercial activities. These satellites, due to their small size and the use of miniaturized technologies, have lower costs and enable the execution of space projects with limited resources. Despite their numerous advantages, challenges such as power limitations, thermal management, and space debris remain. However, the development of innovative technologies and international collaboration has paved the way for a bright future in this field. CubeSats are a symbol of the transformation in space access and an important step toward expanding the boundaries of human knowledge. This applied, data mining, and scientometric study utilized techniques for analyzing scientific database repositories. Data and keywords related to the research were searched and evaluated from 2010 to 2024 using the Web of Science database. For data analysis and visualization of the obtained information, the Vosviewer software was used. The statistical population of the study included 1,499 papers related to CubeSat technology. The results indicate that the development trends of related technologies include miniaturization and optimization of equipment, advancements in energy sources, development of microelectromechanical propulsion systems, and the use of advanced communication technologies such as laser communication.
Keywords
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Volume 5, Issue 2
March 2026
Pages 103-122

  • Receive Date 19 January 2025
  • Revise Date 11 May 2025
  • Accept Date 27 June 2026