The SONYA mission is designed to better understand radio frequency (RF) noise in Low Earth Orbit, especially in bands commonly used by small satellites. It will use a small CubeSat with specialized antennas and a software-defined radio to collect real-time data on interference coming from both Earth and other satellites.

 

By flying in a 51.6° orbit, it will map RF noise across much of the planet, helping engineers design more reliable satellite communication systems. This mission fills a major gap in current research, which often relies on outdated models or ground-based measurements that miss key sources of interference.