Overview

• The $19.5 million mission will deploy a CubeSat equipped with lasers to simulate a star's brightness.
• Scheduled for a 2029 launch, the satellite will orbit at 35,785 kilometers, appearing stationary from Earth.
• Astronomers will use the artificial star to achieve tenfold accuracy in measuring real celestial objects.
• The mission honors Arlo Landolt, a pioneer in stellar brightness catalogs, and involves international collaboration.
• Enhanced calibration will aid in studying dark energy, exoplanets, and the universe's expansion rate.