CubeSats for Future Science and Internet of Space: Challenges and Opportunities

This paper proposes, a review of the main challenges involved by the CubeSat revolution. These concern, mainly, electronic systems and circuits because extreme miniaturization, low-cost and space-grade reliability are posing new problems. In particular the focus will be on the high-frequency hardware that is used to perform science, remote sensing, telemetry and telecommunications. Equipped with these miniaturized, RF/microwave apparatuses CubeSats will perform unprecedented scientific missions opening the way to novel applications such as the high resolution imaging of the Earth and the Internet of Space (IoS).