Quakesat

{{Short description|Earth Observation nanosatellite}} {{update|date=April 2016}} {{Use American English|date=December 2020}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox spaceflight | name = Quakesat | image = QuakeSat.jpg | image_caption = | image_size = | mission_type = [[Earth observation satellite|Earth observation]] | operator = | COSPAR_ID = 2003-031F | SATCAT = 27845 | website = [https://www.quakefinder.com/science/about-quakesat/] | mission_duration = 1 year and 185 days (elapsed) | spacecraft = [[CubeSat]] | spacecraft_type = 3 [[CubeSat]] | manufacturer = [[QuakeFinder|QuakeFinder, LLC]] | launch_mass = {{cvt|5|kg}} | dimensions = | power =  | launch_date = 30 June 2003, 14:15:26 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]] | launch_rocket = [[Rokot|Rockot]]/[[Briz-KM]] | launch_site = [[Plesetsk Cosmodrome]], [[Plesetsk Cosmodrome Site 133|Site 133]] | launch_contractor = [[Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center]] | orbit_reference = [[Geocentric orbit]]<ref name="Trajectory">{{cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=2003-031F|title=Trajectory: Quakesat 2003-031F|publisher=NASA|date=14 May 2020|access-date=16 December 2020|archive-date=28 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328153643/https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=2003-031F|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> | orbit_regime = [[Low Earth orbit]] | orbit_periapsis = {{cvt|821|km}} | orbit_apoapsis = {{cvt|833|km}} | orbit_inclination = 98.70° | orbit_period = 101.40 minutes | apsis = gee | instruments = [[Magnetometer]] }}

'''Quakesat''' was an [[Earth observation satellite|Earth observation]] [[Small satellite|nanosatellite]] based on three [[CubeSat]]s. It was designed to be a "proof-of-concept" for collecting space-based detection of [[extremely low frequency]] signals, theorized to be [[earthquake]] precursor signals. The science behind the concept was disputed at the time of launch.<ref> * {{cite news|title=Pursuing the Grail of an Earthquake Predictor, but Facing Skeptics|author=John Upton|date=August 13, 2011|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/us/14bcquakefinder.html|access-date=2011-08-28}} * {{cite news|author=John Upton|date=August 15, 2011|url=http://www.baycitizen.org/earthquakes/story/science-predicting-earthquakes/|title=The Science of Predicting Earthquakes: U.S. Geological Survey refuses to fund controversial research into electromagnetic signals|access-date=2011-08-28|newspaper=The Bay Citizen|publisher=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925065549/http://www.baycitizen.org/earthquakes/story/science-predicting-earthquakes/|archive-date=September 25, 2011}} * {{cite web|title=Cubesats: On the Prowl for Earthquake Clues|url=http://www.space.com/astronotes/astronotes_june22_july5_03.html|first=Leonard|last=David|publisher=Space.com|year=2003|access-date=2008-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110152429/http://www.space.com/astronotes/astronotes_june22_july5_03.html|archive-date=November 10, 2006}}</ref>

Stanford University and Stellar Solutions released a 10-year, longitudinal study in 2022 in collaboration with Google using earth-based instrumentation that confirmed the science behind the theory for forecasting purposes, but not to the level sufficient to meet the [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]] standard of an earthquake prediction.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Heavlin |first=William D. |last2=Kappler |first2=Karl |last3=Yang |first3=Lusann |last4=Fan |first4=Minjie |last5=Hickey |first5=Jason |last6=Lemon |first6=James |last7=MacLean |first7=Laura |last8=Bleier |first8=Thomas |last9=Riley |first9=Patrick |last10=Schneider |first10=Daniel |date=2022 |title=Case-Control Study on a Decade of Ground-Based Magnetometers in California Reveals Modest Signal 24–72 hr Prior to Earthquakes |url=https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022JB024109 |journal=Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth |language=en |volume=127 |issue=10 |article-number=e2022JB024109 |doi=10.1029/2022JB024109 |issn=2169-9356|doi-access=free }}</ref>

== Mission == The mission goal of Quakesat was to determine if there were any ultra low frequency (ULF) magnetic signals, associated with large earthquakes, that could be detected using a satellite-based, induction magnetometer flying in low-earth-orbit (LEO).<ref>{{Cite web |title=QuakeFinder » About QuakeSat |url=https://www.quakefinder.com/science/about-quakesat/ |access-date=2025-01-29 |language=en-US}}</ref> [[QuakeFinder|QuakeFinder LLC]], the company that put the satellites together, was from [[Palo Alto, California]]. They were gathering data on the ultra low frequency [[magnetic field]] fluctuations that are associated with earthquakes to help better understand this area of study. The primary instrument was a [[magnetometer]] housed in a {{cvt|2|ft|m|1|adj=on}} telescoping boom.

On 30 June 2003, deployment of Quakesat was alongside other university CubeSats and one commercial CubeSat. The launch occurred on a [[Rokot]] rocket from Russia's [[Plesetsk Cosmodrome]].

The mission was planned to last one year, but ended up lasting 1 and a half years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 12, 2012 |title=QuakeSat |url=https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/quakesat |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240823123402/https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/quakesat |archive-date=23 August 2024 |access-date=4 December 2024 |website=eoPortal}}</ref>

== See also == {{Portal|Spaceflight}} * [[List of CubeSats]]

== References == {{Reflist|2}}

[http://www.quakefinder.com/ QuakeFinder LLC] Single axis search coil, small E-field dipole [https://web.archive.org/web/20060212014357/http://www.quakefinder.com/fppt/Qsat-1-18.html]

[[Category:Earth observation satellites of the United States]] [[Category:Spacecraft launched in 2003]] [[Category:CubeSats]] [[Category:Spacecraft launched by Rokot rockets]]