| Names | Scout 3 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Earth observation satellite |
| Operator |  European Space Agency |
| Website | nanomagsat |
| Mission duration | 3 years (planned) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | 3x 16U CubeSat |
| Manufacturer |  Open Cosmos |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2027 (planned) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Altitude | 545 km |
NanoMagSat (Scout 3) [1] is a future satellite constellation under development by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the study of Earth's magnetic field and ionosphere. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] The mission will consist of three 16U CubeSats named Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie (A, B, and C) [2] in low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 545 km, [8] two at an inclination of 60° and one in polar orbit. [9] [3] Each satellite will be equipped with a long deployable boom carrying an absolute magnetometer at its end and a high-frequency magnetometer positioned midway along the boom. The body of each satellite will carry a multi-needle Langmuir Probe and two GNSS receivers. [8] [10] The satellites are being built by the UK-based company Open Cosmos [8] [11] [12] [13] and their first launch is expected in late 2027. [14]
