NASA CubeSat Begins Mission to Study Radio Waves in Space

The CANVAS CubeSat will measure very low frequency radio waves in low Earth orbit produced by lightning and ground-based transmitters.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 9:20pm

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A highly structured abstract painting in earthy tones of green, blue, and brown, featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric planetary circles, and precise botanical spirals, conceptually representing the complex interactions between lightning, the ionosphere, and the Earth's magnetosphere.An abstract visualization of the CANVAS mission's study of how lightning-generated radio waves propagate through the Earth's upper atmosphere and magnetosphere.Boulder Today

NASA's latest small satellite mission, the Climatology of Anthropogenic and Natural VLF wave Activity in Space (CANVAS) CubeSat, is now in orbit studying how natural and human-made radio waves travel from Earth's surface into space. The CANVAS CubeSat will measure very low frequency radio waves in low Earth orbit produced by lightning and ground-based transmitters, helping scientists better understand and predict changes in the near-Earth space environment.

Why it matters

Understanding how lightning and ground-based transmitters shape the Earth's electron populations helps improve space weather models, which is crucial for protecting infrastructure in space and on the ground, as well as informing spacecraft and crew operations.

The details

The CANVAS CubeSat, a 4U CubeSat developed by the University of Colorado, Boulder, will use two instruments - a three-axis search coil magnetometer and two-axis AC electric field sensor - to determine the power and direction of lightning-generated very low frequency (VLF) waves. By comparing the direction and timing of each lightning event with the World Wide Lightning Network, CANVAS will enable climatological studies of how lightning-generated VLF waves propagate through the ionosphere.

  • The CANVAS CubeSat launched on April 7, 2026, aboard a Minotaur IV rocket from Space Launch Complex 8 at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
  • Over the next year, CANVAS will conduct its science mission.

The players

CANVAS

A NASA CubeSat mission designed to measure very low frequency radio waves in low Earth orbit produced by lightning and ground-based transmitters.

University of Colorado, Boulder

The institution that developed the 4U CANVAS CubeSat.

NASA

The agency that selected the CANVAS mission through its CubeSat Launch Initiative to address aspects of its science, technology development, or education goals.

Department of War

The agency that launched the STP-S29A mission, which carried the CANVAS CubeSat into orbit.

U.S. Space Force

One of the organizations that had payloads on the STP-S29A mission.

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What’s next

Over the next year, CANVAS will use its two instruments to conduct its science mission, measuring very low frequency radio waves in low Earth orbit and studying how they propagate through the ionosphere.

The takeaway

The CANVAS CubeSat mission will provide critical data on how natural and human-made radio waves travel from Earth's surface into space, helping scientists better understand and predict changes in the near-Earth space environment, which is crucial for protecting infrastructure and informing spacecraft and crew operations.