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CubeSats can be used for many things and are being used more often as a faster and more affordable way to test and explore new ideas while gathering preliminary information for future more in-depth missions.
Some institutions launch them purely for scientific testing as a way to quickly get information about how certain coatings and systems react in the space environments before trying to implement them on manned missions. Others are observing parts of our Earth to help inform and improve our everyday lives.

There are some parts that every satellite will have, those are all included in the basic systems, but your mission system will be the variable depending on what you want to achieve with your satellite mission.
Think about what information you’re hoping to collect and what equipment or technology you think would be needed to achieve this. Refer to the diagram below to see the basic systems and think about what’s missing that would be needed for your mission.

Satellite

Mission System

Basic System

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Structure

Power Supply

Data Handling

Communication

Attitude Determination and Control