GXIBA Spacecraft - Nanosats Database

Spacecraft name	GXIBA (Gxiba-1)
Form factor	CubeSat
Units or mass	1U
Status	not launched, expected in 2025
Launcher	Falcon 9, (Cygnus), (NG-22)
Entity name	Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla A.C
Institution	Company
Entity	Commercial
Nation	Mexico
Oneliner	Equipped as an I-Gate node thanks to its connection with the satellite internet system. Provide radio amateurs with an APRS internet access point.
Description	As a result of the success of the Aztechsat-1 mission, UPAEP, in conjunction with FMRE, has taken on the task of designing new experiments to continue with the objectives of this project, now with more specific and relevant purposes, not only for Mexican amateur radio, but also for the international amateur radio community. This project consists of the development of the Gxiba-1 nanosatellite, which will be equipped as an I-Gate node thanks to its connection with the satellite internet system. This will provide radio amateurs with an APRS internet access point from anywhere in the world, thus enabling everything from emergency traffic to communications with expeditions and local systems. By developing this project, we promote fundamental axes in the training and use of radio amateurs, such as: Promoting amateur radio among young people: Following one of the fundamental axes of the IARU, we take advantage of the higher level academic environment where this project is developed, facilitating the approach of young people to the world of amateur radio in satellite matters, guided by radio amateurs with experience in various areas. Improve and expand the coverage of the APRS system: Not only in Mexico, but also worldwide, achieving coverage in remote sites and supporting the communications of expedition teams such as IOTA or SOTA. Encourage the participation of Mexican radio amateurs: We encourage satellite communications and the generation of learning networks through the exchange of knowledge between radio amateurs and other higher level institutions (such as UNAM, Panamericana and Aeroespacial de Querétaro, among others). Evaluate the feasibility of implementing an internet access point (I-Gate) on a satellite: Comparing the quality of internet service provided by the Iridium system. This objective involves using I-Gate to measure and compare the quality of internet service between both satellite networks. Monitor volcanic emissions: The satellite will be equipped with imaging equipment that will be used to measure volcanic emissions. Through internal processing, the amount of volcanic waste emitted will be evaluated and the results will be sent through telemetry beacons, helping the authorities in the surveillance and evaluation of the risk to the health of the population. In December 2021, UPAEP was the winner of the sixth round of the KiboCube competition by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Japanese Space Exploration Agency (JAXA), thus being awarded the launch and orbit of a 1U CubeSat from the International Space Station. From that moment until now, UPAEP has worked on the design and development of the Gxiba-1 satellite, whose mission is to support the monitoring activities of active volcanoes in Mexico of the National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED) by obtaining photographs in the visible spectrum, in order to analyze the dispersion of volcanic ash and deliver the result to CENAPRED. To achieve this, the project must meet four main objectives with their corresponding success criteria: Objectives: The Gxiba-1 project is to develop a flight-ready Cubesat, i.e. a satellite accepted by JAXA for launch and approved to reach the International Space Station. Deployment from the International Space Station via JAXA's KIBOCUBE. The Gxiba-1 project must send the satellite's health status and the results of image processing - of ash emissions from an active volcano in Mexico - to Earth via the Iridium satellite constellation. Data received via the Iridium satellite constellation and validation of the image results, thereby providing relevant information to CENDAPRED and thus promoting relevant actions to prevent risks to the vulnerable population. Gxiba-1 must transmit and receive verified data from the UPAEP ground station and send periodic messages to radio amateurs around the world (which will contain the traffic light variable of the CENAPRED volcanic alert system). Data received from the Gxiba-1 satellite at the UPAEP Earth Station, and from radio amateurs around the world. The Gxiba-1 satellite will continue the amateur radio experiments of Aztechsat-1, mainly implementing a winlink node that supports the sending of emergency messages, which is very consistent with the mission of both CENAPRED and the radio amateurs. Winlink data received at the UPAEP Ground Station and shared with CENAPRED.
Sources	[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Last modified: 2024-12-29