The Radiometer Atmospheric CubeSat Experiment (RACE) pre-launch performance

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) developed Radiometer Atmospheric CubeSat Experiment (RACE) has a 183 GHz water vapor radiometer payload integrated on a 3U CubeSat platform. The radiometer utilizes a 35 nm InP HEMT low noise amplifier receiver with 2 internal calibration means. RACE advances the technology readiness level (TRL) of the various radiometer sub-systems to TRL 6. Pre-launch performance in terms of stability and calibration methodology will be presented and discussed. The RACE satellite was lost on the Orb-3 launch mishap, Oct 28 th 2014.