Ideas
Data & APIaerospacesatellitesphysics

Satellite drag prediction for small sats

Develop an accessible API or tool to calculate atmospheric drag effects for CubeSat operators. Serves the growing small satellite market.

Why now

With the boom in small satellite launches, teams need better tools to predict orbital decay.

Who for
Small satellite operators
Business model
API access subscriptions
Effort
A few months

CubeSat teams often lack resources for complex atmospheric drag calculations, impacting mission planning and lifespan.

Build a web service or API that takes satellite parameters (mass, dimensions, orbit) and returns drag calculations with decay predictions.

University satellite teams and small aerospace startups would pay for this as more cost-effective than developing in-house solutions.

Start with a simple web calculator, then expand to API and historical data comparison features.

Biggest risk: Niche market with potentially limited willingness to pay for specialized tools.

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Satellite drag prediction for small sats — Ideas