CuPID
The Cusp Plasma Imaging Detector (CuPID) investigation was designed to test models of energy transfer from the solar wind into Earth’s magnetosphere. Boston University’s 6U CubeSat carried a wide-field soft X-ray telescope intended to image charge-exchange emission near Earth. Its science questions concerned whether magnetic reconnection occurs steadily or in bursts, and at one or several sites. These are the investigation’s documented objectives; the design description does not establish completed imaging results.
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Identity
- Aliases
- Cusp Plasma Imaging DetectorCuPID Mission
- Name
- CuPID
- Status
- active
Details
- Astronauts
- -
- Description
- The Cusp Plasma Imaging Detector (CuPID) investigation was designed to test models of energy transfer from the solar wind into Earth’s magnetosphere. Boston University’s 6U CubeSat carried a wide-field soft X-ray telescope intended to image charge-exchange emission near Earth. Its science questions concerned whether magnetic reconnection occurs steadily or in bursts, and at one or several sites. These are the investigation’s documented objectives; the design description does not establish completed imaging results.
- Destination
- Earth orbit for soft X-ray imaging of Earth’s magnetopause to test competing models of magnetic reconnection
- Programs
- -
- Start Date
- 2021-09-27
- Vehicle Families
- -
Links
- Official Url
- https://science.nasa.gov/mission/cupid/
Assets & Meta
- Creation Time
- August 13, 2026 at 18:58:13 UTC
- Updated Time
- October 17, 2026 at 14:06:30 UTC
Other
- Affiliations
- -
- Space Stations
- -
- Vehicles
- -