Experiment

Pre-launch operations begin for deploying four CubeSats from ISS

Three 1U-size CubeSats (10cm×10cm×10cm) developed by Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) for the third round of the BIRDS Project ("BIRDS-3")(*1) were delivered to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) at the Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC) on February 18, 2019 and a 3U-size CubeSat (10cm×10cm×30cm) developed by the National University of Singapore (NUS) under an agreement with the Singapore Space Technology Association (SSTA)(*2) was delivered to JAXA at the same facility on February 19, 2019. Pre-launch operations for these satellites have been started for deployment from the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) "Kibo" on the International Space Station (ISS) planned for May or June this year.

These satellites will be delivered by the Cygnus spacecraft (NG-11) to the ISS in April.

Photos of BIRDS-3 mission team with CubeSats and JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD)(Credit：JAXA)

Photos of Project team and SpooQy-1 CubeSat and J-SSOD(Credit：JAXA)

*1 BIRDS Project (Officially called "Joint Global Multi Nation Birds")
An international small satellite development project under a strategic partnership agreement between Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech) and JAXA on joint development and operation of CubeSats in which researchers of KIT and those from Asian and African countries have participated. The BIRDS-3 will be deployed in the third round of a project launched by researchers or students from Japan, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Approximately one year was spent for constructing these satellites, one in each country. They developed 1U size CubeSat in dimensions 10cm x 10cm x 10cm. They were named "Uguisu" (Japanese satellite), "Raavana-1" (Sri Lankan satellite) and "NepaliSat-1" (Nepali satellite), respectively. Raavana-1 and NepaliSat-1 will be the first satellites for the two countries.

*2 Agreement with the Singapore Space Technology Association
Agreement with the Singapore Space Technology Association An agreement signed between JAXA and the Singapore Space Technology Association (SSTA) on utilization of the JEM "Kibo." The satellite, named SpooQy-1, has been designed and constructed by the National University of Singapore.

Related Topics

BIRDS-3 Project

The SpooQy Lab

Three CubeSats successfully deployed from "Kibo" as part of BIRDS Project!(August 17, 2018)

CubeSats for BIRDS-2 handed over to JAXA. Launch preparations completed!(June 26, 2018)

Successful deployment of five "BIRDS project" CubeSats from the "Kibo"(July 7, 2017)

*All times are Japan Standard Time (JST)