Locally-developed cube satellites (CubeSats) Maya-5 and Maya-6 have been successfully released International Space Station (ISS) to begin their mission as technology demonstration and as educational platforms.
Launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 on June 5 2023 carrying CubeSats Maya-5 and Maya-6 to the International Space Station. (Photo courtesy of PhilSA)
According to the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA), this milestone is part of the “Kibo” or Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Small Satellite Orbital Deployer-26 (J-SSOD-26) CubeSat deployment mission.
At around 4:34 p.m. after the deployment, the amateur radio satellite station at the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) received its first beacon from Maya-5 and Maya-6. The agency said that the teams will now closely monitor the health and status of the CubeSats in preparation for the execution of their respective missions as technology demonstration and educational platforms.
“Named after the revered Philippine bird, they symbolize our country’s commitment towards contributing to global scientific and technological advancement,” Engr. Valerie Macaraeg said during the deployment program.
The two 1.3 kg 1U CubeSats were developed under the Space Science and Technology Proliferation through the University Partnerships (STeP-UP) Project of the STAMINA4Space Program. The scholars, namely, Joseph Jonathan Co (Project Manager), Anna Ruth Alvarez, Ronald Collamar, Angela Clarisse Chua, Chandler Timm Doloriel, Khazmir Camille Valerie Macaraeg, Genesis Remocaldo, and Gio Asher Tagabi, developed the satellites as part of the nanosatellite development track under the Master of Science (MS)/Master of Engineering (MEng) program of the UPD Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (EEEI).
The development of the CubeSats is in collaboration with the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) in Japan, with scholarship support from the DOST-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI).
DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. emphasized the significance of this momentous event.
“Our roadmap to putting the Philippines in the space race was long, but our investment in education and advocacy lead to a path of significant progress in the development of our country’s space industry,” he said.
University of the Philippines Chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II also brought up the importance and support of space technology endeavors.
“The two cube satellites will provide essential assistance in the collection of timely and relevant data that can be used in the sectors of agriculture, environment and natural resources, and disaster risk reduction and management, among others,” he said.
“The launching of this second pair of CubeSats is a solid testament to what our Filipino engineers and scientists can do. With appropriate and adequate support, they show their capability to develop and build satellites locally,” he added.
According to the second batch of STeP-UP scholars, the important first few days of the satellites being in space.
“During the first 72 hours from release, we will be monitoring the health of the satellites in orbit. The hope is that within the first few passes, we will be able to receive their beacons, which will tell us significant information such as the status of antenna deployment and battery levels. Once functionalities are tested, the data to be acquired during the satellites’ time in orbit will also shine light on scientific questions and can be analyzed for future satellite developments in the Philippines. This is possible because of the cooperation of many ground station operators around the world,” they said.
PhilSA said that ground stations from different institutions have also been briefed last July 17 to help receive notifications once the satellites pass through their respective stations.
“We are excited to receive notifications from hams who are able to receive beacons and/or are able to use the digipeating capability. Lastly, we hope that Maya-5 and Maya-6 would inspire more Filipinos and other nations to engage with or get into the space technology field,” Engr. Valerie Macaraeg said during her JAXA video interview.
“Maya-5 and Maya-6 were developed not only for technological demonstration, but they are also a testament to the continuous efforts of people from different nations to pass down knowledge and wisdom in satellite development. Carrying an RGB camera, Store and Forward Mission, Automatic Packet Reporting System, Hentenna Mission, and the Experimental On-Board Computer, our team at the STAMINA4Space Program aims to verify the functionality of these experiments in space while serving the amateur radio community—a goal that will be carried on by the Philippine Space Agency in the years to come. As Maya-5 and Maya-6 commence their journey in the expanse of the cosmos, we extend our heartfelt thanks for the support of our mentors, families, and the Filipino people,” she added.
PhilSA said that Maya-7, a 2U CubeSat (two-unit cube satellite), is also being developed through the Philippine Space Agency(PhilSA)’s ACCESS Nanosat or the Advancing Core Competencies and Expertise in Space Studies Nanosat Project. They successfully completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) of the Maya-7 satellite project on 29 June 2023.
Meanwhile, Solidum affirmed DOST’s continuous support in the country’s space science and technology endeavors, he says that “in this latest accomplishment, we prove time and time again that the investment of the FIlipino people will always return a wide range of benefits, especially in promoting scientific progress. We hope that with DOST’s support to space research activities, we will inspire young people to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, which is essential to keep our country’s economy strong and competitive.”
The completed Maya-5 and Maya-6 flight models (FM) during the turnover ceremony to JAXA Maya-5 and Maya-6 are 1U (10 x 10 x 10 cm) CubeSats weighing ~1.15 kilograms each. Photo courtesy of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
PhilSA Director General Joel Joseph Marciano Jr. shared his thoughts as he encapsulated these recent space science and technology milestones.
“The idea of building the Maya CubeSats began with the desire to promote even greater access to space technologies for Filipinos. With the successful deployment of Maya-5 and 6 from the ISS, we remain true to this ideal,” he said.
“I salute and congratulate the scholars, researchers, project managers, and administrators in STeP-UP and STAMINA4Space in UP Diliman and DOST, and the collaborators and mentors in Kyutech, UPD-Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute and PhilSA. Through hands-on development of small satellites, we not only build valuable capabilities, but hopefully also bring inspiration to young people to create impactful innovations,” he added.
Marciano also highlighted PhilSA’s future plans to build on the accomplishment of the second batch of STeP-UP Scholars.
“PhilSA is committed to expanding these efforts further. Work on the next generation of Maya nanosatellites, starting with Maya-7, has commenced with a new batch of graduate students who are recipients of PhilSA AD ASTRA scholarships collaborating with the Maya-5 and 6 scholars and PhilSA engineers. Maya-7 will be a 2U CubeSat capable of carrying out even more complex space missions,” he said.