VERTECS Spacecraft - Nanosats Database

Satellite name	VERTECS (Visible Extragalactic background RadiaTion Exploration by CubeSat)
Spacecraft type	CubeSat
Units or mass	6U
Status	Operational (News on the website as of 2026-06-17)
Launched	2026-06-12
NORAD ID	69506
Deployer	QuadPack (XL) [ISISpace]
Launcher	H3
Organization	Kyushu Institute of Technology
Institution	University
Entity	Academic / Education
Country	Japan
Partners	JAXA, Kwansei Gakuin University, Tokyo City University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanazawa University, University of Fukui, Meisei University, SEIREN, Cosina
Oneliner	Astronomical 6U satellite for observation of visible extragalactic background light to study cosmic star formation history.
Description	VERTECS (Visible Extragalactic background RadiaTion Exploration by CubeSat) is a 6U (10cm×20cm×30cm) astronomical nano-satellite designed to reveal star formation history by observing visible extragalactic background light. VERTECS will be developed by a collaboration between Kyushu Institute of Technology, JAXA, Tokyo City University, Kwansei Gakuin University, AstroBiology Center, Meisei University, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kanazawa University, University of Fukui, SEIREN Co., Ltd., Cosina Co., Ltd. This mission was selected by JAXA-SMASH (JAXA-Small Satellite Rush) Program and will be developed and launched within 2 years. Observation target of VERTECS is extragalactic background light (EBL). The EBL is accumulated radiation integrated from early universe to present epoch and is crucial quantity to reveal star formation history. In the near-infrared wavelength, intensity of the EBL is reportedly several times higher than that of integrated light of known galaxies. This result suggests presence of large amount of unidentified faint objects in the universe. Possible candidates have been assumed as first stellar objects including primordial blackholes or intra halo light in local universe. These objects are expected to show different radiation spectrum in visible wavelength. Therefore, VERTECS will conduct visible multi-color observation and reveal origin of the excess component of the EBL.
Sources	[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Photo sources	[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]
COTS subsystems	ADCS - Blue Canyon XACT
On the same launch	BRO-22 HORN L HORN R VERTECS

Last modified: 2026-07-31