A Dedicated Ultraviolet CubeSat for Astrophysics, SPARCS (Star Planet Activity Research CubeSat)

Knowing the ultraviolet (UV) environments of planets orbiting low-mass stars (0.1-0.6 Msun; a.k.a. M dwarfs) will be crucial to understanding the composition of planetary atmospheres and a key parameter in discriminating between biological and abiotic sources for observed biosignatures. The Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS) will be a 6U CubeSat devoted to photometric monitoring of M dwarfs in the far-UV and near-UV, measuring the time-dependent spectral slope, intensity and evolution of M dwarf stellar UV radiation. For each target, SPARCS will observe continuously over at least one complete stellar rotation (5 - 45 days). SPARCS will also advance UV detector technology by flying high quantum efficiency, UV-optimized detectors developed at JPL. These 2D-doped detectors have a long history of deployment demonstrating greater than five times the quantum efficiency of the detectors used by GALEX. SPARCS will pave the way for their application in missions like LUVOIR or HabEx, including interim UV-capable missions.

Funding for SPARCS is provided by NASA's Astrophysics Research and Analysis program, NNH16ZDA001N.