Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment (CUTE) is a small UV space telescope to study selected exoplanets.[1]

It was launched as a rideshare on the Atlas V that launched Landsat 9 on September 27, 2021.[1] Designed to operate for at least 8 months and study 10 exoplanets, CUTE remains operational as of December 2023, 27 months after launch. The spacecraft is expected to remain in orbit until 2027.[2]

CUTE can measure near-UV (255-330 nm) and do low resolution spectroscopy of atmospheric tracers (eg. Fe II, Mg II, Mg I, OH).[3]

The UV sensor is a 2048 x 515 pixel CCD array, with the spectrum lengthwise across the sensor.[4] The 515 pixel width provides tolerance from sensor damage.

See also

References

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