CUBES is a X-ray detector payload which will be installed on the KTH 3U CubeSat mission, MIST. The detector comprises cerium-doped Gd₃Al₂Ga₃O₁₂ (GAGG) scintillators read out with silicon photomultipliers through a Citiroc Application-Specific Integrated Circuit. The detector operates in the energy range ∼35–800 keV. The aim of the CUBES mission is to provide experience in the operation of these relatively new technologies in a high-inclination low earth orbit, thereby providing confidence for component selection in more complex satellite missions. The design of the CUBES detector is described, and results from performance characterisation tests carried out on a prototype of CUBES, called Proto-CUBES, are reported. Proto-CUBES was flown on a stratospheric balloon platform from Timmins, Canada, in August 2019. During the ∼12hour long flight, the performance of Proto-CUBES was studied in the near-space environment. As well as measuring the X-ray counts spectra at different atmospheric depths, a 511 keV line from positron annihilation was observed.

CUBES 是 X 射线探测器有效载荷，将安装在 KTH 3U CubeSat 任务 MIST 上。检测器包括掺铈的Gd ₃ Al ₂ Ga ₃ O ₁₂(GAGG) 闪烁体通过 Citiroc 专用集成电路用硅光电倍增管读出。检测器在~35-800 keV 的能量范围内工作。CUBES 任务的目的是提供在高倾角低地球轨道上运行这些相对较新的技术的经验，从而为更复杂的卫星任务中的组件选择提供信心。描述了 CUBES 探测器的设计，并报告了在名为 Proto-CUBES 的 CUBES 原型上进行的性能表征测试的结果。Proto-CUBES 于 2019 年 8 月在加拿大蒂明斯的平流层气球平台上飞行。 在约 12 小时的飞行中，在近空间环境中研究了 Proto-CUBES 的性能。