Ecuadorian Space Agency will provide parts and consulting for U.S. Cubesat IRVINE01

Samborondón, March 31: The Ecuadorian Space Agency EXA announced today that it has secured a contract with a group of 5 U.S. high schools in California (Irvine, Northwood, University, Woodbridge, and Beckman) in order to provide parts for its first satellite IRVINE-01 and also to act as project supervisor.

EXA will provide the Krysaor-class solar deployable arrays DSA-1, the Pegasus-class battery banks BA01/S, the NEMEA anti radiation and thermal shields, deployable antenna, titanium structural components and magnetorquers for attitude control, also, the EXA will be in charge of the project supervision reporting to Project Manager Dr. Brent Freeze, PhD.

Besides EXA, many other very prestigious, world class U.S. institutions participate in this project like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Brown University, Montana State University, California State Polytechnic University San Luis Obispo, Tyvak, Sorlox, Bilingual Interactive, Accion Systems, and Innovative Space Logistics. The project is funded through the Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF), a nonprofit organization that raises funds to enrich the educational experience of students. EXA is the only foreign institution selected for this project that will involve at least 5 satellites in the next 5 years.

IRVINE Cubesat STEM is a very innovative project, pioneering an effort that aims to stimulate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at high school level in the United States with the use of space based platforms assembled by the students themselves and to offer inclusion opportunities to social minorities in the U.S. engineering and sciences communities. EXA fully endorses and officially supports this project and its goals, as they are completely compatible with EXA’s long held work philosophy and reason to exist.

EXA was selected due its unique technologies for this class of spacecraft and its advantages in the price/performance relationship, this technologies were developed for the firsts Ecuadorian satellites NEE-01 PEGASO and NEE-02 KRYSAOR and the testing of this technologies was the primary mission of the satellites that both accomplished successfully. It is the first time in the history of the region that one Latin American country will provide space technology to the United States of America.

"The first Ecuadorian satellites NEE-01 PEGASO and NEE-02 KRYSAOR have very unique technologies. We are excited about selecting EXA because of their unique solutions suited for our type of spacecraft. EXA provides advantages in price/performance that will help our program continue to be successful for years to come" said Kain A Sosa, Co-founder of Irvine CubeSat STEM Program during the official kickoff event of the project on March 22.

EXA is a civilian independent institution, active member of the International Astronautics Federation (IAF), member of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the Space Security Committee of the IAF, EXA feels honored by this selection representing our country and the region all in this new enterprise and it is very grateful with IPSF and Project IRVINE Cubesat STEM for bestowing us with their trust, which commit us to the best quality, service and performance standards to honor that trust and to demonstrate what Ecuadorians and Latin-Americans can do if we are given an opportunity to support the space development of the international community with our unique approaches and technologies, open collaboration philosophy and passionate commitment to the human space endeavor.

Contacts:
Kellie Pendergest - kpendergest@ipsf.net
Msc. Carlos Alvarez - rp@exa.ec
 


Referencess:

Article in Los Angeles Times:  http://www.latimes.com/socal/daily-pilot/news/tn-dpt-me-0326-satellite-kickoff-20160325-story.html
Article in  Business Connection: http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=293968#{%22issue_id%22:293968,%22page%22:%228%22}
Official KickOff video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcrQlNNnNLM
ABC News video: http://abc7.com/science/irvine-high-school-students-hoping-to-launch-satellite/1264634/
Proyecto Irvine STEM Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/irvinecubesat/

 

Press contact: Carlos Alvarez, rp@exa.ec
EXA/2 - BP-65 / BP-E-064-010416
http://exa.ec/bp65/index.html