Feasibility analysis of XSOLANTRA: A mission concept to detect exoplanets with an array of CubeSats

Abstract

Seeking “nearby habitable worlds” was one of three science themes identified in the Astronomy Decadal Survey. Hundreds of extrasolar planets are known, but magnetic fields are likely required for these planets to be habitable. As of today, no direct constraints on the magnetic field characteristics of extrasolar planets exist. The ExtraSolar Observing Low-frequency Array of Nano Satellites for Radio Astronomy (XSOLANTRA), formerly known as XSOLARA is a feasibility study of a student designed, built, and tested micro-satellite mission to a Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) around Earth. XSOLANTRA will look at the Electron Cyclotron Maser Emission generated by the interaction between stellar wind and a planetary magnetosphere from which interior composition and atmospheric shielding can be inferred. The science instrument for XSOLANTRA is the entire array of fourteen CubeSats operating together as an interferometer. The fourteen CubeSats will be stacked on a SHuttle Expendable Rocket for Payload Augmentation (SHERPA) vehicle as a payload and will be deployed once arrived at DRO. A feasibility study was conducted to demonstrate that a CubeSat mission with cost of no more than $60 million is capable of detecting extrasolar planets. The study showed that a CubeSat mission within these constraints is possible; however, some questions still remain unanswered. This paper summarizes the mission concept starting from the science requirements, key mission design decisions, component level feasibility analysis and management and cost analysis