Maya-2
Mission typeTechnology demonstration
COSPAR ID1998-067SF Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.47929Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type1U CubeSat
Launch mass1.3 kg (2.9 lb)
Dimensions10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm (3.9 in × 3.9 in × 3.9 in)
Powerwatts
Start of mission
Launch date20 February 2021, 17:36:50 UTC
RocketAntares
Launch siteWallops Island MARS, LP-0A
Deployed fromISS
Deployment date14 March 2021, 11:20 UTC
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited
Decay dateJuly 5, 2022
Orbital parameters
RegimeLow Earth orbit
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Maya-2 was a Filipino nanosatellite. It succeeded Maya-1, the first Filipino nanosatellite, which was deorbited in November 2020.

Background

Maya-2 was a nanosatellite or a 1U-class CubeSat measuring 10 cm × 10 cm × 10 cm (3.9 in × 3.9 in × 3.9 in) and weighing 1.3 kg (2.9 lb).[1] It was the successor to Maya-1 which ended its operations on November 23, 2020.[1][2] Maya-2 was developed by Filipino students sent to the Kyushu Institute of Technology (KIT) in Japan through the Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) Space Science and Technology Proliferation through University Partnerships (STeP-UP) project under the STAMINA4Space Program.[1]

Maya-2 was developed under the fourth Joint Global Multination Birds Satellite (Birds-4) project initiated by the KIT.[3] Under the program, two other identical CubeSats; a Paraguayan (GuaraniSat-1) and a Japanese satellite (Tsuru).[4]

Maya-2 is part of a series of satellite named after the Chestnut munia (Lonchura atricapilla), one of the various birds known locally in the Philippines as the maya.[4][5]

Development

A team of three Filipino engineers, Izrael Zenar Bautista, Mark Angelo Purio, and Marloun Sejera, developed Maya-2. The three are DOST scholars pursuing doctorate degrees in space engineering at KIT. Bautista is also the project manager of the Birds-4 program.[6]

Development of Maya-2 began in 2018 but was hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] By March 2020, Maya-2 was already in its final stage of development[8] and by September of the same year, the satellite was already turned over to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).[9]

Instruments

The build of Maya-2 is relatively more advanced than Maya-1, its predecessor, and has off-the-shelf components.[3] Maya-2 is equipped with instruments which was used for Maya-1 including an Automatic Packet Radio Service Digipeater. Differences from its predecessor include the use of Perovskite solar cells as a power source and a different antenna design.[10] Maya-2 also has an active altitude control instead of the passive control used by its predecessor.[11]

Launch and mission

Maya-2 launched to the International Space Station (ISS) through Northrop Grumman's Cygnus NG-15 resupply mission. The S.S. Katherine Johnson Cygnus carrying cargo including Maya-2 was launched to space via the Antares rocket on February 20, 2021, from Pad 0A of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Virginia, United States. The Cygnus spacecraft made a rendezvous with the ISS two days later, berthing to the Unity module of the space station.[12][13] The satellite was deployed into low Earth orbit from the ISS on March 14, 2021, at around 11:20 UTC.[14][15] After a 16-month mission, Maya-2 re-entered the atmosphere on July 5, 2022.[16]

References

  1. ^ a b c Resurreccion, Lyn (22 February 2021). "Maya-2, PHL's 2nd cube satellite, launched | Lyn Resurreccion". Business Mirror. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  2. ^ Nazario, Dhel (29 November 2020). "Maya-1, PH's first cube satellite, completes mission". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  3. ^ a b "NASA introduces PH satellite Maya-2; to launch in 2021 - UNTV News". UNTV News. 14 December 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b Madarang, Catalina Ricci (23 February 2021). "'Hindi ito pinagtatawanan': Space enthusiasts cheer on Philippines' 2nd cube satellite Maya-2 despite naysayers" ['Not a laughing matter': Space enthusiasts cheer on Philippines' 2nd cube satellite Maya-2 despite naysayers]. Interaksyon (in English and Tagalog). Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Tulad nang sinabi ng SciKomiks—ang uri ng Maya na pinagbasehan ng pangalan ng mga buntabay na Maya-1 at Maya-2..." [Like what SciKomiks said—the kind of Maya which the names of Maya-1 and Maya-2 were based from was the...]. Facebook (in Tagalog). STAMINA4Space. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  6. ^ "Meet the brains behind PH second nanosatellite Maya-2". Manila Bulletin. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  7. ^ "How the Philippines' space program evolved: From late-comer to fast-learner". Manila Bulletin. 25 February 2021.
  8. ^ Arayata, Maria Cristina (11 March 2020). "PH eyes launching 3 cube satellites in 2020". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  9. ^ Guno, Niña (29 November 2020). "First nanosatellite made by Filipinos returns from space after 2 years". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  10. ^ Arayata, Maria Cristina (21 February 2021). "PH's Maya-2 launched into space: DOST". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  11. ^ Antonio, Josiah (22 February 2021). "Philippines' 2nd cube satellite Maya-2 launched into space". ABS-CBN News.
  12. ^ "Announcement of the Launch Date". BIRDS4. 10 February 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  13. ^ Gebhardt, Chris; Neal, Mihir (20 February 2021). "Northrop Grumman's S.S. Katherine Johnson arrives at the ISS". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  14. ^ Guno, Niña (22 February 2021). "Second nanosatellite made by Filipinos launched to space". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  15. ^ Ronda, Rainier Allan (16 March 2021). "Cube satellite Maya-2 deployed into orbit". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  16. ^ Philippine Space Agency [@PhilSpaceAgency] (July 5, 2022). "The @birds4kyutech cube satellites Maya-2 🇵🇭, GuaraniSat-1 🇵🇾 , and Tsuru 🇯🇵 have re-entered the Earth's atmosphere following their 16-month journey in space!" (Tweet). Retrieved July 10, 2022 – via Twitter.
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