Frequently asked questions

CAPIBARA is an international, student-led initiative building space observatories for high-energy astrophysics research. We operate two main programmes: CAPIBARA-GAMMA and CAPIBARA-CRD. We’re creating a new model where students don’t just learn about space missions — they actually build and operate them.

Anyone! We welcome motivated students from all universities worldwide. You don’t need prior experience in aerospace or astrophysics. Our members work in various fields including:

• Physics and astronomy
• Engineering (aerospace, electrical, mechanical, software)
• Computer science and data science
• Mathematics and statistics
• Education and science communication
• Design and media

If you’re passionate about space and willing to learn, you’re welcome here!

There are no impossible requirements and no selection process. We only ask for:

• Being currently enrolled as a student (undergraduate, master’s, or PhD)
• Genuine passion for space science and technology
• Willingness to learn and collaborate with others
• Commitment to contribute to the project (flexible hours)

We believe in learning by doing and supporting each other throughout the journey.

We understand that students have varying schedules. The time commitment is flexible and depends on your role and availability:

• Minimum: 5–10 hours per month for staying engaged with the team
• Active contributor: 10–20 hours per month for regular project work
• Team lead/coordinator: 20+ hours per month for leadership roles

Many members integrate CAPIBARA work into their coursework or thesis projects, which can count towards both!

Absolutely! CAPIBARA is a fully distributed collaboration. Most of our work happens online through:

• Regular video meetings (team calls, working sessions)
• Collaborative platforms (GitHub)
• Asynchronous communication for different time zones

We have members across multiple continents and embrace remote collaboration. Some hands-on hardware work happens at specific university labs, but software, analysis, and design work can be done from anywhere.

There’s something for everyone! Here are some examples:

• Hardware: detector design, electronics, mechanical engineering, testing
• Software: simulations, data analysis pipelines, mission control software
• Science: GRB analysis, cosmology research, detector characterisation
• Operations: mission planning, satellite operations, ground station work
• Outreach: website development, social media, presentations, educational materials
• Documentation: technical writing, proposal writing, reports

We’ll help you find a role that matches your interests and skills!

Absolutely okay! Most of our members started with no space mission experience. That’s exactly why CAPIBARA exists — to provide hands-on learning opportunities.

We provide:

• Onboarding documentation and tutorials
• Mentorship from more experienced members
• Learning-by-doing on real projects
• Access to our advisory board of senior researchers

Your willingness to learn is more important than what you already know!

Yes! We’re committed to helping everyone succeed:

• Structured onboarding process for new members
• Peer mentoring and collaboration
• Access to technical documentation and resources
• Guidance from our advisory board of professors and industry experts

We haven’t encountered that situation yet, but we would be happy to help and to have you do your project, thesis or internship with us. However, we encourage you to check with your supervisor and institution for any specific requirements we may not meet.

CAPIBARA-COSMOS: our flagship programme building a constellation of CubeSats for gamma-ray and X-ray transient observations. This is a long-term project (2024–2035) with three phases: single pathfinder, dual-satellite demonstrator, and full constellation. See the GAMMA page.

CAPIBARA-CRD: a cosmic ray detector for near-Earth space weather monitoring, flying on the OBA FARADAY satellite. This is a more near-term opportunity to work on flight hardware. See the CRD page.

You can contribute to one or both programmes depending on your interests!

We are organised into working groups by mission:

• COSMOS: research, data analysis, mission planning, simulations
• CRD: detector development, testing

Each team has student coordinators and meets regularly. You can join multiple teams! Additionally, every member is encouraged to take action in software development and outreach tasks across groups.

Our timeline is ambitious but realistic:

• 2024–2026: foundation phase (we are here now)
• ~2030: COSMOS-Duo launch target (dual CubeSats)
• 2032–2035: COSMOS-NET constellation (4 microsatellites)

The CRD detector will fly on the FARADAY satellite according to OBA’s launch schedule (TBD).

No! Participation in CAPIBARA is completely free. We’re a volunteer collaboration supported by university partnerships and grants. You’ll need:

• Your own computer for remote work
• An internet connection for meetings and collaboration

If you need hardware access for your work, we’ll arrange access through partner universities.

Absolutely! We follow a clear authorship policy:

• All contributors are acknowledged in publications
• Significant contributors earn authorship on papers
• Your work is documented and recognised
• You can showcase your contributions for future opportunities

See our Authorship Policy for details.

Yes, we’d love that! We’re always looking for advisors and mentors:

• Join our advisory board to provide guidance
• Host a student team at your institution
• Provide lab space or equipment access
• Supervise student thesis projects
• Collaborate on research publications

Contact us to discuss opportunities.

It’s simple! Just fill out our application form or contact us directly. We’ll get back to you within a few days to set up an introductory call and help you get started.

There’s no formal selection process. Ask yourself: am I motivated and willing to contribute? If the answer is yes, you’re in!