Published April 29, 2021, 7:03 PM
Maya-3 and Maya-4, the first Philippine-university built cube satellites, have been turned over to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the STAMINA4Space has announced.
Space Science and Technology Proliferation through University Partnerships (STeP-UP) scholars. (Top row, left to right) Renzo Wee, Christy Raterta, Lorilyn Dacquioag, Derick Canceran, (bottom row, left to right) Judiel Reyes, Gladys Bajaro, Marielle Magbanua-Gregorio, Bryan Custodio (Photo from STAMINA4Space Facebook Page)
The country’s third and fourth nanosatellites were turned over to the JAXA on April 28, it said in a Facebook post.
“Congratulations to STeP-UP (Space Science and Technology Proliferation through University Partnerships) Scholars batch 1 for the successful turnover of their cube satellites, Maya-3 and Maya-4, to the JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)!,” it said, describing it as a “milestone.”
The Philippines’ second Maya Cube Satellite (CubeSat) developed by Filipino scholars under the 4th Joint Global Multi-Nation Birds Satellite project (BIRDS-4 Satellite Project) has been launched to the International Space Station (ISS).
PH sends 2nd cube satellite into international space station
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The Philippines marked another scientific milestone on Sunday, February 21, at exactly 1:36 in the morning, as the country’s second cube satellite (CubeSat) Maya-2 was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the S.S. Katherine Johnson Cynus spacecraft.
Photo from DOST
Sending the satellite into the ISS is the final step before the satellite reaches its targeted altitude in Low Earth Orbit, when the space station deploys it at a date to be determined later on.
The CubeSat, which falls under the nanosatellite category in terms of mass (1-10 kg), was launched to the ISS with two other identical CubeSats from Japan (Tsuru), and Paraguay (GuaraniSat-1) as part of the Northrop Grumman CRS-15 mission.