Modern Small Spacecraft Design

Dear Colleagues,

Small spacecraft have evolved from simple technology demonstrators into key enablers of scientific, commercial, and exploratory missions. Advances in miniaturized hardware, computing, and communications now allow CubeSats, nanosatellites, and microsatellites to support applications ranging from high-resolution Earth observation and in situ environment sensing to deep-space exploration and global IoT connectivity, including emerging concepts that exploit low Earth orbit (LEO) and very low Earth orbit (vLEO) for higher-resolution measurements and reduced latency, as well as lunar and cislunar missions that expand our capabilities around and on the Moon. This Special Issue, “Modern Small Spacecraft Design,” showcases recent advances that shape how these platforms are conceived, built, tested, and operated.

We particularly welcome work on spacecraft subsystem innovations such as propulsion, power, thermal management, and communication technologies, especially when they are co-designed to meet stringent constraints in volume, mass, and power, and are framed within a coherent space systems engineering approach. A closely related theme is modular and scalable space architectures, including plug-and-play subsystems, reconfigurable buses, and constellations or swarms that enhance flexibility, upgradability, and mission sustainability. We are also interested in the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in space system design, from early-stage design space exploration and mission planning to onboard autonomy and real-time decision-making in resource-limited environments.

Given the increasing congestion of space, sustainability in space is central to this Special Issue. We encourage contributions addressing debris mitigation, end-of-life strategies, and design practices that enable reuse, servicing, or responsible de-orbiting of small spacecraft, as well as fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) techniques that enhance the resilience and safe operation of these systems. Finally, we seek papers on the integration of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components, analyzing reliability, radiation effects, qualification strategies, and cost-performance trade-offs in modern small spacecraft.

By gathering these complementary perspectives, this Special Issue aims to present a unified view of modern small spacecraft design and to highlight the technologies and methodologies enabling the next generation of agile, intelligent, and sustainable space missions.

Prof. Dr. Jesus D. Gonzalez-Llorente
Prof. Dr. Zizung Yoon
Guest Editors

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