DarkNESS: developing a skipper-CCD instrument to search for Dark Matter from Low Earth Orbit

TL;DR

DarkNESS is a pioneering CubeSat mission deploying skipper-CCD technology in space to search for dark matter through X-ray and electron recoil detection, advancing space-based dark matter research.

Contribution

First space deployment of skipper-CCDs on a CubeSat, enabling novel dark matter detection methods from Low Earth Orbit.

Findings

Progressed to Critical Design Review phase

Development of a space-compatible skipper-CCD instrument

Anticipated launch in late 2025

Abstract

The DarkNESS (Dark Matter Nano-satellite Equipped with Skipper Sensors) mission aims to deploy a skipper-CCD CubeSat Observatory to search for dark matter (DM) from Low Earth Orbit. This mission will employ novel skipper-CCDs to investigate O(keV) X-rays from decaying DM, as well as electron recoils from strongly-interacting sub-GeV DM. The DarkNESS mission will be the first space deployment of skipper-CCDs, and the DarkNESS team is developing a skipper-CCD instrument that is compatible with the CubeSat platform. DarkNESS has recently progressed from laboratory validation to a Critical Design Review (CDR) phase, with a launch opportunity anticipated in late 2025. The implementation of the DarkNESS skipper-CCD payload on the CubeSat platform will pave the way for future demonstrators of space-based imagers for X-ray and single-electron counting applications.