Solutions / CubeSat & Research
CubeSat & Research Missions
Per-pass ground station access for CubeSat operators and university research programs — starting at $89/contact with no minimum commitment. Bring your NORAD catalog ID (or pre-launch TLE) and primary S-band frequency. First contact window available within 24 hours of onboarding. No enterprise contracts, no site surveys, no infrastructure on your end.
Ground Station Access That Scales With Your Mission
Pay Only for the Contacts You Use
CubeSat missions and academic research programs don't need — and shouldn't pay for — the capacity reserved for high-volume commercial operators. Orbitvein's Mission Starter tier starts at $89 per contact with no minimum commitment. A single spacecraft on a research orbit can be supported for under $500/month. You can book one contact, ten contacts, or none in a given month without penalty.
24-Hour NORAD ID to First Pass
CubeSats often reach orbit before operators have finalized their ground support arrangements. Orbitvein's onboarding process accepts a NORAD catalog ID, a TLE set, and basic frequency parameters — then runs automated pass predictions for your stations of interest within hours. For pre-launch missions, we accept preliminary orbit parameters and recalculate once the real TLE is assigned. First contact window can be available within 24 hours of NORAD confirmation.
Receiver Sensitivity Tuned for Small Spacecraft EIRP
CubeSat transmitters are limited by EIRP — a 3U with a patch antenna may transmit at +20 dBm into 2 dBi gain. Orbitvein's 3.7m aperture S-band systems provide G/T of 18.4 dB/K, sufficient to close the link for 250 mW transmitters at 500 km altitude with reasonable margin. For higher-rate missions or longer ranges, the 5.4m aperture option is available at Constellation tier pricing. Link budget review available as part of the initial onboarding consultation.
Onboarding Checklist
- 01 Submit NORAD ID or pre-launch TLE
- 02 Provide S-band center frequency and bandwidth
- 03 Confirm polarization (RHCP / LHCP)
- 04 Receive pass prediction list within 4 hours
- 05 Book first contact window via API or email
Mission Starter Tier
Up to 5 contacts/month, S or X band, 3.7m aperture, 10-minute max contact window.
View full pricing details →Your spacecraft. Our antennas.
Send your NORAD ID and frequency parameters. We'll have pass predictions to you within 4 hours and your first contact window scheduled before launch day anxiety sets in.