# ATENEA

> Argentine CubeSat on board Artemis 2

**Wikidata**: [Q137921181](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q137921181)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/atenea

## Summary
ATENEA is an Argentine CubeSat mission manifested to fly on board the Artemis II flight. It is a miniaturized satellite classified as a CubeSat, composed of standard 10cm-sided cubic modules. The mission represents a collaborative effort led by Argentine space and scientific institutions.

## Key Facts
*   **Classification:** Instance of a CubeSat (miniaturized satellite made up of 10cm-sided cubic modules).
*   **Mission:** Part of the Artemis II program.
*   **Country of Origin:** Argentina.
*   **Operator Consortium:** Operated by a coalition of organizations including the Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE), the National University of La Plata, the University of Buenos Aires, the National University of General San Martín, the Argentine Institute of Radio Astronomy, the National Atomic Energy Commission, and VENG.
*   **Visual Documentation:** The mission has an official logo (mission patch) and associated testing imagery (ensayo) archived on Wikimedia Commons.
*   **Knowledge Base Presence:** Documented in Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (sitelink count: 2; languages: commons, es).

## FAQs
**What is the ATENEA mission?**
ATENEA is an Argentine miniaturized satellite, specifically a CubeSat, that is scheduled to be on board the Artemis II mission. It serves as a scientific and technological platform for multiple Argentine institutions.

**Who operates and manages ATENEA?**
The satellite is operated by a broad coalition of Argentine entities, including the National Commission for Space Activities (CONAE), VENG, and the National Atomic Energy Commission, alongside major universities such as the University of Buenos Aires, the National University of La Plata, and the National University of General San Martín.

**What are the technical specifications of ATENEA?**
ATENEA is a CubeSat, a standard class of miniaturized satellite constructed from cubic modules where each side measures 10cm.

## Why It Matters
ATENEA signifies Argentina's active participation in the new era of lunar exploration initiated by the Artemis program. By integrating a national CubeSat into the Artemis II mission, Argentine scientific agencies and universities are contributing to deep space research and technology development. The mission highlights the capability of Argentina's space sector—the Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE) and academic partners—to develop hardware capable of operating in the demanding environment of a lunar flight, fostering technical expertise across nuclear, radio astronomy, and aerospace engineering sectors.

## Notable For
*   **Integration with Artemis II:** Being an Argentine payload on board the Artemis 2 mission.
*   **Multi-Institutional Collaboration:** Combining resources from Argentina's space agency (CONAE), atomic energy commission (CNEA), and multiple top-tier national universities.
*   **CubeSat Standard:** Utilizing the standardized 10cm cubic module format for miniaturized satellite deployment.

## Body

### Mission Context and Classification
ATENEA is an Argentine satellite project classified structurally as a **CubeSat**. This classification defines it as a miniaturized satellite constructed from one or more cubic modules, each measuring 10cm on a side. The project is prominently identified as a payload or component **on board Artemis 2** (Artemis II), aligning it with international efforts to return humans to the Moon.

### Operating Consortium
The development and operation of ATENEA involve a extensive network of Argentine scientific and governmental bodies. The primary operators and collaborators include:
*   **Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE):** The national space agency of Argentina.
*   **VENG:** The company involved in aerospace development.
*   **Academic Institutions:** The **National University of La Plata**, the **University of Buenos Aires**, and the **National University of General San Martín**.
*   **Scientific Agencies:** The **Argentine Institute of Radio Astronomy** (Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía) and the **National Atomic Energy Commission** (Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica).

### Visual Assets
The mission is documented through specific visual assets stored on Wikimedia Commons. These include the official mission patch, identified as `ATENEA_CubeSat_mission_patch_01.jpg`, and a testing image titled `ATENEA_ensayo_01.jpg`, which depicts the hardware during trial phases. The entity is currently referenced across Spanish language Wikipedia and Commons.