EXA
is the Ecuadorian Civilian Space Agency, founded on November 1st 2007 in Guayaquil, Ecuador
as a civilian independent
organism in charge of the administration and
execution of the Ecuadorian Civilian Space Program, conduct scientific
research on planetary and space sciences and to push forward de
development of science in the educational system in the country.
EXA is the first
space agency in the history of Ecuador, it has its own astronaut, the ASA/T
Ronnie Nader, who is the Director
of the Space Operations Division
and is also the Honorary Chairman of the Directorate
Board of EXA. his state of service is active,
his position is of Mission Specialist and his
function is Mission Commander.
Since September 29 2008 EXA is a member of
the International Astronautical Federation IAF
In less than a year
of existence, EXA has achieved key goals and
historical milestones for Ecuador: The first Latin-American microgravity
plane, developed with its own science and technology alongside the
Ecuadorian Air Force, the Guinness World
Record for the youngest human being ever to fly in microgravity, the
RIM-G, a system allowing almost any person to
fly microgravity without being sick, opening the door for thousands of
Ecuadorians to the marvels of 0G and to a new set of research
opportunities. EXA jointly
operates with the
Ecuadorian Air Force
the Ecuadorian Micro Gravity flight Program
EXA developed an
operates, through its Planetary Sciences division, the firsts an only UV
radiation observatories on Ecuador, in Guayaquil
and Quito and by the means
of the National Radiation Monitor they report the level of UV radiation
hitting this large cities in real time, providing protection, by means
of timely and reliable information fro prevention, to more than 4
million Ecuadorians.
EXA built and operates the first
and only Internet-to-Orbit gateway in the world, the
HERMES-A/MINOTAUR
station, which is currently used by many universities and research
institutions around the world. Also designed and operates the
A SATELLITE IN THE CLASSROOM program, the only
program in the world that allows elementary schools to have their own
virtual ground station, so their students can download satellite images
in real time in the classroom.
EXA designed and built the
NEE-01 PEGASUS, the first
ecuadorian satellite, the first in its class to be able to transmit live
video from space and to have its own anti radiation shield, the NEE-01
is scheduled to be launched into orbit by the end of 2012.
In 2011 EXA was awarded with the
VICENTE ROCAFUERTE Medal to Scientic Merit
by the National Congress, this is the highest honor bestowed by
the Ecuadorian State in scientific matters.
EXA uses some ensigns and emblems in the
uniform of its astronaut corps :
ASA/T astronaut wings: Used by EXa
astronaut corps
|
Aerospace Pin:
Used by the FAE 047 Fuerza G-1 CONDOR crew
|
Aerospace mission commander star
|
Aerospace mission pilot star
|
Also EXA astronaut corps use black flight
suits and its dress uniforms are also black with silver accents, the
reason for this is because the combination is "black as the sky, silver
as the stars"