# Quakesat

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Quakesat
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Quakesat.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quakesat
> Source revision: 1322793007
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Earth Observation nanosatellite

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (April 2016)

Quakesat Mission type Earth observation COSPAR ID 2003-031F SATCAT no. 27845 Website [1] Mission duration 1 year and 185 days (elapsed) Spacecraft properties Spacecraft CubeSat Spacecraft type 3 CubeSat Manufacturer QuakeFinder, LLC Launch mass 5 kg (11 lb) Start of mission Launch date 30 June 2003, 14:15:26 UTC Rocket Rockot/Briz-KM Launch site Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Site 133 Contractor Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center Orbital parameters Reference system Geocentric orbit[1] Regime Low Earth orbit Perigee altitude 821 km (510 mi) Apogee altitude 833 km (518 mi) Inclination 98.70° Period 101.40 minutes Instruments Magnetometer

**Quakesat** was an [Earth observation](/source/Earth_observation_satellite) [nanosatellite](/source/Small_satellite) based on three [CubeSats](/source/CubeSat). It was designed to be a "proof-of-concept" for collecting space-based detection of [extremely low frequency](/source/Extremely_low_frequency) signals, theorized to be [earthquake](/source/Earthquake) precursor signals. The science behind the concept was disputed at the time of launch.[2]

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 [USGS](/source/United_States_Geological_Survey) standard of an earthquake prediction.[3]

## 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).[4] [QuakeFinder LLC](/source/QuakeFinder), the company that put the satellites together, was from [Palo Alto, California](/source/Palo_Alto%2C_California). They were gathering data on the ultra low frequency [magnetic field](/source/Magnetic_field) fluctuations that are associated with earthquakes to help better understand this area of study. The primary instrument was a [magnetometer](/source/Magnetometer) housed in a 2 ft (0.6 m) telescoping boom.

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

The mission was planned to last one year, but ended up lasting 1 and a half years.[5]

## See also

- [Spaceflight portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Spaceflight)

- [List of CubeSats](/source/List_of_CubeSats)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Trajectory_1-0)** ["Trajectory: Quakesat 2003-031F"](https://web.archive.org/web/20230328153643/https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=2003-031F). NASA. 14 May 2020. Archived from [the original](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/displayTrajectory.action?id=2003-031F) on 28 March 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** - John Upton (13 August 2011). ["Pursuing the Grail of an Earthquake Predictor, but Facing Skeptics"](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/14/us/14bcquakefinder.html). *The New York Times*. Retrieved 28 August 2011. - John Upton (15 August 2011). ["The Science of Predicting Earthquakes: U.S. Geological Survey refuses to fund controversial research into electromagnetic signals"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110925065549/http://www.baycitizen.org/earthquakes/story/science-predicting-earthquakes/). *The Bay Citizen*. The New York Times. Archived from [the original](http://www.baycitizen.org/earthquakes/story/science-predicting-earthquakes/) on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2011. - David, Leonard (2003). ["Cubesats: On the Prowl for Earthquake Clues"](https://web.archive.org/web/20061110152429/http://www.space.com/astronotes/astronotes_june22_july5_03.html). Space.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.space.com/astronotes/astronotes_june22_july5_03.html) on 10 November 2006. Retrieved 5 December 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Heavlin, William D.; Kappler, Karl; Yang, Lusann; Fan, Minjie; Hickey, Jason; Lemon, James; MacLean, Laura; Bleier, Thomas; Riley, Patrick; Schneider, Daniel (2022). ["Case-Control Study on a Decade of Ground-Based Magnetometers in California Reveals Modest Signal 24–72 hr Prior to Earthquakes"](https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2022JB024109). *Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth*. **127** (10) e2022JB024109. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1029/2022JB024109](https://doi.org/10.1029%2F2022JB024109). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [2169-9356](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/2169-9356).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["QuakeFinder » About QuakeSat"](https://www.quakefinder.com/science/about-quakesat/). Retrieved 29 January 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["QuakeSat"](https://web.archive.org/web/20240823123402/https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/quakesat). *eoPortal*. 12 June 2012. Archived from [the original](https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/quakesat) on 23 August 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2024.

[QuakeFinder LLC](http://www.quakefinder.com/) Single axis search coil, small E-field dipole [\[2\]](https://web.archive.org/web/20060212014357/http://www.quakefinder.com/fppt/Qsat-1-18.html)

v t e Science instruments on satellites and spacecraft Radar Cassini–Huygens Magellan Pioneer Venus Orbiter REASON SELENE SHARAD MARSIS Venera 4 8 9 10 15 16 WISDOM Radio science Akatsuki Cassini–Huygens Europa-UVS ExoMars lander Galileo InSight Kaguya Magellan Mariner 2 3 4 5 6, 7 9 10 Mars Express MESSENGER Nozomi Pioneer 7 10 11 Pioneer Venus Orbiter Sakigake Venus Express Venera 9 Voyager 1 2 Radiometer Microwave Near-Earth AQUA AMR-C (Sentinel-6) AMSR-E (AQUA) AMSR (ADEOS II) AMSR2 (Shizuku) DMSP 5D-2/F13-F15 DMSP 5D-2/F16 ERSS Envisat GPM Core Kanopus-ST MIRAS MISR, MOPITT (Terra) MSR (MOS-1, MOS-1b) MTVZA (Meteor-3M-1) MTVZA-GYa Meteor-M2 Meteor-M2-1 Nimbus 7 RM-08 and MTVZA-OK (Sich-1M) Seasat Sentinel-3 SMAP SMMR SMOS SSM/I SSMIS TRMM WSF-M Zond-PP Interplanetary Cassini-Huygens Electra (radio) Mariner 2 MWR (Juno) Rosetta Infrared-visible Near-Earth AVHRR ASTER, MISR (Terra) AIRS AVNIR AVNIR-2 CERES (TRMM, Terra, Aura, Suomi NPP, NOAA-20) ERBS ERSS GLI (ADEOS II) Kanopus-V-IK MESSR and VTIR MOS-1 1b Meteor-2 MODIS (Terra, Aqua) OPS (JERS-1) ORI (EURECA) Radiation Budget Instrument SGLI (GCOM-C) SLSTR (Sentinel-3) VIIRS (Suomi NPP, NOAA-21) Interplanetary COMARS+ (on Schiaparelli) Diviner (on LRO) HP3 (on InSight) IRIS Luna 13 Mariner 6 and 7 Mariner 10 Mars 96 2M No.521 2M No.522 Pioneer 10 11 PMIRR (on Mars Climate Orbiter) Venera 9 10 Voyager 1 2 Ultraviolet (UV) Near-Earth ORI (EURECA) LYRA Proba-2 Spectrophotometers Long wavelength Interplanetary ISO Visible-IR (VIRS) Near-Earth CASE MOMS Multispectral Scanner SCIAMACHY TES TRMM Interplanetary AKARI Rosalind Franklin rover MA-MISS ISEM Infrared Space Observatory IRIS (Voyager 1 and 2) JIRAM (on Juno) M3 Mariner 6 and 7 MESSENGER MERIS E-THEMIS, MISE, SUDA (on Europa Clipper) Ralph SPICAM SPICAV Venus Emissivity Mapper UV-visible (UVVS) Interplanetary Alice Mariner 6 and 7 Mariner 10 MESSENGER NOMAD SPICAM SPICAV UVS Voyager 1 2 Raman Interplanetary Raman Laser Spectrometer (Rosalind Franklin rover) SHERLOC (Perseverance rover) Magnetometer Near-Earth GOES QuakeSat 1 and 2 SGVM Proba-2 Interplanetary FIELDS Pioneer 10 11 Voyager 1 2 MAG (Juno) ICEMAG and PIMS (Europa Clipper) Triaxial fluxgate Near-Earth Swarm Interplanetary Cassini–Huygens FIELDS Magsat Mariner 2 4 5 10 MESSENGER Pioneer 11 Venus Express Helium vapor Near-Earth Swarm Interplanetary Cassini–Huygens Particle detectors Ion detectors Near-Earth DEMETER TPMU and DSLP Proba-2 Interplanetary ASPERA-3 ASPERA-4 Mariner 2 SPS Ulysses Neutral particle detector Interplanetary ADRON-RM (Rosalind Franklin rover) ASPERA-3 (on Mars Express) ASPERA-4 (on Venus Express) DAN (on Curiosity) FREND (on ExoMars TGO) Nozomi SPS (on Mariner 2) Ulysses Mass spectrometer Interplanetary MASPEX (Europa Clipper) MOMA (Rosalind Franklin rover) Seismometers SEIS (on InSight) Viking 1 2 Imagers/telescopes High Resolution Stereo Camera HiRISE LORRI Mars Orbiter Camera Microscopes MicrOmega-IR (Rosalind Franklin rover) Astronomical instruments International Lunar Observatory MoonLIGHT Biosensor Viking lander biological experiments SOLID Misc Deep Space Atomic Clock Inertial Stellar Compass Venetia Burney Student Dust Counter Plasma Wave Subsystem

v t e ← 2002 Orbital launches in 2003 2004 → January Coriolis ICESat, CHIPSat STS-107 (SpaceHab RDM, EDO) SORCE USA-166, XSS-10 February Progress M-47 Intelsat 907 March USA-167 IGS-1A, IGS-1B USA-168 April Molniya-1 No.92 USA-169 INSAT-3A, Galaxy 12 AsiaSat-4 Kosmos 2397 Soyuz TMA-2 GALEX May GSAT-2 Hayabusa (Minerva) Hellas Sat 2 Beidou 1C June Mars Express (Beagle 2) Kosmos 2398 AMC-9 Progress M1-10 Thuraya 2 Spirit Optus and Defence C1, BSAT-2c Molniya-3 No.53 Orbview-3 Monitor-E GVM, MIMOSA, DTUSat, MOST, Cute-I, QuakeSat, AAU-Cubesat, CanX-1, Cubesat XI-IV July Opportunity Rainbow 1 August EchoStar IX Kosmos 2399 SCISAT-1 Kosmos 2400, Kosmos 2401 Spitzer Progress M-48 USA-170 September USA-171 / Orion 5 UK-DMC, BILSAT-1, STSat-1 e-Bird, INSAT-3E, SMART-1 October Galaxy 13/Horizons-1 Shenzhou 5 Resourcesat-1 Soyuz TMA-3 USA-172 CBERS-2, Chuang Xin 1 SERVIS-1 November FSW-3 1 Shen Tong 1 Yamal-201, Yamal-202 IGS-2A, IGS-2B December USA-173 Gruzomaket Kosmos 2402, Kosmos 2403, Kosmos 2404 USA-174 USA-175 Amos-2 Ekspress AM22 Tan Ce 1 Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).

This article about one or more spacecraft of the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

- [v](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:US-spacecraft-stub)
- [t](/source/Template_talk%3AUS-spacecraft-stub)
- [e](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:US-spacecraft-stub)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Quakesat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quakesat) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quakesat?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.