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The Colorado Ultraviolet Transit Experiment (CUTE) is a near-UV (2550 to 3300 Å) 6U CubeSat mission designed to monitor transiting hot Jupiters to quantify their atmospheric mass loss and magnetic fields. CUTE will probe both atomic (Mg and Fe) and molecular (OH) lines for evidence of enhanced transit absorption, and to search for evidence of early ingress due to bow shocks ahead of the planet's orbital motion. As a dedicated mission, CUTE will observe ≳100 spectroscopic transits of hot Jupiters over a nominal 7-month mission. This represents the equivalent of >700 orbits of the only other instrument capable of these measurements, the Hubble Space Telescope. CUTE efficiently utilizes the available CubeSat volume by means of an innovative optical design to achieve a projected effective area of ∼28 cm 2 , low instrumental background, and a spectral resolving power of R ∼ 3000 over the primary science bandpass. These performance characteristics enable CUTE to discern transit depths between 0.1% and 1% in individual spectral absorption lines. We present the CUTE optical and mechanical design, a summary of the science motivation and expected results, and an overview of the projected fabrication, calibration, and launch timeline.

High resolution spectroscopy is the foundation for many challenging astronomical observations. A highly precise, repeatable and stable wavelength calibration is especially essential for long term radial velocity observations. The two wavelength references in wide use for visible wavelengths, iodine absorption cells and thorium/argon lamps, each have fundamental limitations which restrict their ultimate utility.We are exploring the possibility of adapting emerging laser frequency comb technology in development at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado, to the needs of high resolution, high stability astronomical spectroscopy. 1,2 This technology has the potential to extend the two current wavelength standards both in terms of spectral coverage and in terms of long term precision, ultimately enabling better than 10 cm/s astronomical radial velocity determination.

Received (to be inserted by publisher); Revised (to be inserted by publisher); Accepted (to be inserted by publisher); NASA's suborbital program provides an opportunity to conduct unique science experiments above Earth's atmosphere and is a pipeline for the technology and personnel essential to future space astrophysics, heliophysics, and atmospheric science missions. In this paper, we describe three astronomy payloads developed (or in development) by the Ultraviolet Rocket Group at the University of Colorado. These far-ultraviolet (100 -160 nm) spectrographic instruments are used to study a range of scientific topics, from gas in the interstellar medium (accessing diagnostics of material spanning five orders of magnitude in temperature in a single observation) to the energetic radiation environment of nearby exoplanetary systems. The three instruments, SLICE (Suborbital Local Interstellar Cloud Experiment), CHESS (Colorado High-resolution Echelle Stellar Spectrograph), and SISTINE (Suborbital Imaging Spectrograph for Transition region Irradiance from Nearby Exoplanet host stars) form a progression of instrument designs and component-level technology maturation. SLICE is a pathfinder instrument for the development of new data handling, storage, and telemetry techniques. CHESS and SISTINE are testbeds for technology and instrument design enabling high-resolution (R > 10 5 ) point source spectroscopy and high throughput imaging spectroscopy, respectively, in support of future Explorer, Probe, and Flagship-class missions. The CHESS and SISTINE payloads support the development and flight testing of large-format photon-counting detectors and advanced optical coatings: NASA's top two technology priorities for enabling a future flagship observatory (e.g., the LUVOIR Surveyor concept) that offers factors of ~50 -100 gain in ultraviolet spectroscopy capability over the Hubble Space Telescope. We present the design, component level laboratory characterization, and flight results for these instruments.