Speaker
Dr
Nathan Saffold
(Fermilab)
Description
The DarkNESS (Dark Matter Nano-satellite Equipped with Skipper Sensors) mission will deploy a skipper-CCD CubeSat Observatory to search for dark matter (DM) from Low Earth Orbit. During its time in orbit, DarkNESS will observe the Galactic Center to probe O(keV) X-rays from decaying DM models, as well as perform a direct search for electron recoils from strongly-interacting sub-GeV DM. The DarkNESS mission will be the first space deployment of skipper-CCDs, with a launch opportunity anticipated in late 2025. In this contribution, we describe the DarkNESS mission, focusing on its scientific objectives and recent programmatic milestones.
