Arizona State University

Arizona State University (ASU) developed the Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat (SPARCS), a 6U CubeSat space telescope designed to monitor the flares and sunspot activity of low-mass M and K spectral type stars in the far- and near-ultraviolet. The mission aims to assess the habitability of exoplanets orbiting these stars by measuring the time-dependent spectral slope, intensity, and evolution of UV radiation, including flares. SPARCS will observe 20 low-mass stars in two UV bands (153-171 nm and 260-300 nm) for one to three complete stellar rotations over an initial one-year baseline mission. Key objectives include measuring short- and long-term variability and absolute flux of young and old M stars, and characterizing flare color, energy, frequency, and duration. The spacecraft comprises a telescope, camera, spacecraft bus, and operational/science software. ASU astronomers oversaw the development of the telescope, camera, software, and systems engineering. The telescope uses a two-mirror system optimized for UV light. SPARCS also incorporates and demonstrates UV delta-doped detectors and detector-integrated metal dielectric filters developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). These detectors offer significantly higher quantum efficiency than previous technologies. SPARCS is a NASA-funded observatory and is currently being tested and calibrated at ASU. It was launched on a SpaceX rocket into low-Earth orbit on January 11, 2026. The mission is intended to provide crucial data for interpreting observations of exoplanets around low-mass stars by missions like the James Webb Space Telescope and to advance UV detector technology for future missions such as the Habitable Worlds Observatory.