JPL
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
JPL Logo
JPL Logo
Solar System
.

MarCO Wins the 'Oscar' for Tiny Spacecraft

Aug. 9, 2019
An artist's rendering of the twin Mars Cube One (MarCO) spacecraft as they fly through deep space. The MarCOs were named Small Satellite Mission of the Year at the 2019 Small Satellite Conference in Logan, Utah.› Full image and caption
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
JPL engineer Glen Elliott (center) holds the 2019 Small Satellite Mission of the Year Award alongside others who supported the MarCO mission. Left to right: Matthew Szczerba, Kate Parkinson, Ben Malphrus, Kerri Cahoy, Glen Elliott, Chloe Hart, Emily Clements and John Belardo.
Credit: AIAA
The 2019 Small Satellite Mission of the Year Award sitting at a MarCO exhibit space at the Small Satellite Conference in Logan, Utah.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

The first interplanetary CubeSats were recognized by the engineering community with the 2019 Small Satellite Mission of the Year award.

The first briefcase-size CubeSats to journey to another planet have been honored for their role in NASA InSight's successful Mars landing. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) bestowed their Small Satellite Mission of the Year award to Mars Cube One, or MarCO, Aug. 8, 2019, at the annual Small Satellite Conference in Logan, Utah.

Designed and built at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, MarCO consists of two CubeSats nicknamed WALL-E and EVE after characters in a Pixar film. With the pair flying behind NASA's InSight lander as it cruised to the Red Planet last year for its Nov. 26, 2018, descent to the Martian surface, WALL-E and EVE enabled the InSight team to monitor the landing in near-real time by relaying signals from the lander back to Earth.

Along the way, WALL-E sent back stunning images of Mars while EVE performed some simple radio science. All of this was achieved with experimental technology that cost a fraction of what most space missions do.

"It is a significant honor to be recognized by our peers at this particular conference," said MarCO Chief Engineer Andy Klesh of JPL. "These are the engineers crafting bold new designs to explore the solar system. We hope MarCO was a pathfinder mission for them."

Accepting the award was JPL's Glen Elliott, an engineer with NASA's Deep Space Network who worked with the MarCO team. Also present were students and faculty representing the several universities who gained first-hand experience supporting the mission.

JPL has had a heavy presence at the Small Satellite Conference. The Lab's RainCube spacecraft was also a finalist this year; last year, JPL's ASTERIA took home the same award.

"We're proud that our spacecraft have won 'Small Satellite of the Year'," said Planetary SmallSat Program Manager John Baker. "These innovative designs are blazing a trail for future explorers."

For more information about MarCO, go to:

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/cubesat/missions/marco.php

News Media Contact

Andrew Good

Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

818-393-2433

andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov

Alana Johnson

NASA Headquarters, Washington

202-672-4780 / 202-358-0668

alana.r.johnson@nasa.gov

2019-162

Related News

Mars .

My Favorite Martian Image: ‘Enchanted’ Rocks at Jezero Crater

Mars .

Help NASA Scientists Find Clouds on Mars

Robotics .

Swarm of Tiny Swimming Robots Could Look for Life on Distant Worlds

Mars .

NASA’s Curiosity Takes Inventory of Key Life Ingredient on Mars

Asteroids and Comets .

NASA to Discuss Psyche Asteroid Mission

Mars .

NASA Mars Orbiter Releasing One of Its Last Rainbow-Colored Maps

Mars .

NASA’s Curiosity Captures Stunning Views of a Changing Mars Landscape

Mars .

NASA’s InSight Gets a Few Extra Weeks of Mars Science

Mars .

NASA, Partner Establish New Research Group for Mars Sample Return Program

Solar System .

NASA’s Europa Clipper Mission Completes Main Body of the Spacecraft

Explore More

Image .

Gale Crater

Image .

Northern Arabia Terra

Image .

Mamers Valles

Image .

Nilus Chaos

Image .

Nanedi Valles

Image .

Radar Observations of Near-Earth Asteroid 7335 1989 JA

Image .

Enchanted View of Jezero Rocks

Image .

Oti Fossae - Arsia Mons

Event June 30, 2022 .

JPL & the Space Age: The Pathfinders

Event June 30, 2022 .

JPL & the Space Age: The Pathfinders

About JPL
Who We Are
Executive Council
Directors
Careers
Internships
The JPL Story
JPL Achievements
Documentary Series
Annual Reports
Missions
Current
Past
Future
All
News
All
Earth
Solar System
Stars and Galaxies
Subscribe to JPL News
Galleries
Images
Videos
Audio
Podcasts
Apps
Visions of the Future
Slice of History
Robotics at JPL
Events
Lecture Series
Team Competitions
Speakers Bureau
Calendar
Visit
Public Tours
Virtual Tour
Topics
JPL Life
Solar System
Mars
Earth
Climate Change
Exoplanets
Stars and Galaxies
Robotics
More
Asteroid Watch
NASA's Eyes Visualizations
Universe - Internal Newsletter
Social Media
Get the Latest from JPL
Follow Us

JPL is a federally funded research and development center managed for NASA by Caltech.

More from JPL
Careers Education Science & Technology Acquisitions JPL Store
Careers
Education
Science & Technology
Acquisitions
JPL Store
Related NASA Sites
Basics of Spaceflight
Climate Kids
Earth / Global Climate Change
Exoplanet Exploration
Mars Exploration
Solar System Exploration
Space Place
NASA's Eyes Visualization Project
Voyager Interstellar Mission
NASA
Caltech
Privacy
Image Policy
FAQ
Feedback
Site Managers: Veronica McGregor, Randal Jackson
Site Editors: Tony Greicius, Naomi Hartono