FSSCat is a ground-breaking mission concept that consists of two federated 6U CubeSats which operate in support of the Copernicus Land and Marine Environment services.
As a precursor to a constellation of federated small satellites for Earth Observation, FSSCat is equipped with a multi-spectral optical payload and a dual microwave payload, including a GNSS-Reflectometer and an L-band radiometer with interference detection/mitigation capabilities. FSSCat is capable of measuring soil moisture, ice extent, and ice thickness, and detecting melting ponds on ice. Additionally, the satellites feature radio/optical and Iridium inter-satellite links to evaluate key technologies and techniques for future satellite federations.