ScienceAugust 6, 2026

nanosatellite

NAY-noh-sa-tuh-light

Definition

A very small artificial satellite, typically weighing between 1 and 10 kilograms, designed for research and operational tasks in space.

Etymology

The word is a combination of the Greek-derived prefix 'nano-' (meaning one-billionth, used here to denote extreme smallness) and 'satellite' (from the Latin 'satelles', meaning attendant or guard).

In the news

The MAVERIC mission is described as a nanosatellite, demonstrating how USC students gain hands-on experience by building flight-ready hardware that fits into a small, portable form factor.

Q&A: David Barnhart on how USC is building the future of space

Read the full article ↗

USC Today

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