The Nice cube nanosatellite project: a 2020 update

We present here the status of the Nice Cube nanosatellite project, a cubesat dedicated to enable satellite-to-ground optical communications for cubesats. The student's project hosted at Université Côte d'Azur has three main goals: characterize the atmosphere's disturbances on a moving target at the wavelength where optical communications will happen (1550 nm), establish an optical link between the satellite and the ground, and perform optical link performances measurements. For that purposes, we are designing a mission with a satellite composed of a platform providing power, computational resources, a radio link, and a body orientation with a 10 degrees precision, and a payload. This last one is composed of a modulated retroreflector, a high-power light source, and eventually an onboard receiver. On the ground, a radio ground station as well as an optical ground station, that could be in different places, are required. The project passed its "phase 0" review last December, and we are now working to achieve the "A" phase of the project with a motivated team of researchers, engineers and students.