Maximizing Space Science and Awareness Promotion Effect of CUBESAT through Enabling Direct Public Interaction with Satellite Payload

Compared to traditional larger satellites, CubeSat projects tend to have restrictive missions due to limitations in size. However, CubeSat projects have an advantage of being available for education through successful and useful mission in science, and for promoting and raising public awareness of space science through unique and 'interesting' missions. In addition. these projects have a short development schedule at a low cost. Until now, most CubeSat projects had scientific and education missions. They provided limited services to specific groups. This paper suggests a CubeSat project which has an edutainment (education and entertainment) based mission that ultimately promotes scientific and academic interest in the general public. In order to accomplish this new goal, payload of the CubeSat developed by Space System Research Lab., KAUSAT-3, has a CMOS camera and voice synthesizer module. The public can receive various pictures of earth taken from space and voice messages from CubeSat in their home, school or wherever internet access is available. The paper describes mission design of KAUSAT-3, and how the mission goal and architecture can promote space science.