Mexican Gxiba-1 CubeSat Starts Mission After Kibo Deployment

by Riko Seibo
Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Feb 16, 2026

On February 3, 2026, the Mexican CubeSat Gxiba-1 was deployed from the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo on the International Space Station, beginning its on orbit mission. The small satellite was released into space using the Kibo module's robotic arm as Earth passed in the background.

Gxiba-1 was built by a team from the Popular Autonomous University of the State of Puebla in Mexico after the university won the sixth round of the KiboCUBE program. KiboCUBE is a joint initiative of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs that offers CubeSat deployment opportunities to emerging and developing space nations. The program is designed to help universities and institutions gain hands on experience in space projects and satellite operations.

The Mexican project moved through several steps on the way to deployment. UPAEP was selected as the sixth round KiboCUBE winner in February 2022. The completed CubeSat was delivered to JAXA's Tsukuba Space Center in August 2025 for inspection and integration. In October 2025, Gxiba-1 was launched to the International Space Station from the Tanegashima Space Center, and on February 3, 2026 it was released into orbit from Kibo.

Since deployment, the UPAEP team has been operating Gxiba-1 from the ground, tracking the satellite and beginning its planned observation work. The mission focuses on optical observations of volcanic activity and the spread of volcanic ash, with the aim of contributing to risk assessment and disaster related research. Experience gained from planning, building, and operating the spacecraft is expected to support future space activities in Mexico.

To mark the deployment, H.E. Ms. Melba Pria, Ambassador of Mexico to Japan, embassy officials, and members of the satellite development team visited the Tsukuba Space Center. The deployment sequence from Kibo was streamed live, and partners in Mexico organized a public viewing so that local audiences could watch the event in real time. The outreach activities highlighted both the educational role of the mission and the importance of international partnerships in space.

JAXA Director General of the Human Spaceflight Technology Directorate Mayumi Matsuura congratulated the UPAEP team on the successful deployment from Kibo. She thanked UNOOSA and UPAEP for their efforts, and noted that Gxiba-1 will now conduct optical observations of volcanoes and volcanic ash. Matsuura said she hopes the experience from the mission will support the further development of Mexican space activities and looked forward to taking on new challenges in space together with Mexico.

UNOOSA Director Aarti Holla-Maini praised the achievement and described Gxiba-1 as a result of close cooperation between UNOOSA, JAXA and UPAEP. She said the partnership shows the power of global collaboration and that the two organizations are working together to expand access to space for all. According to Holla-Maini, such missions directly support capacity building where it is most needed and most valued.

UPAEP Rector Emilio Banos expressed his gratitude to JAXA and UNOOSA for making it possible for emerging countries to develop their space capabilities through KiboCUBE. He said that challenges like the Gxiba-1 mission help students deepen their technical and scientific knowledge and prepare for future work in the space industry or academia. Banos added that for Mexico the satellite represents a strong incentive to invest in its own aerospace industry and to train human resources that can respond to national needs.

Ambassador Pria said that the successful deployment of Gxiba-1 shows the talent and creativity of Mexican students, researchers and faculty members. She underlined the value of international cooperation for sustainable space exploration and thanked JAXA, UNOOSA and the KiboCUBE program for supporting young people and strengthening ties with Japan. She said the mission is an example of how educational institutions, governments and international organizations can work together to share the benefits of space activities.

Gxiba-1 will continue its mission under the control of the UPAEP operations team in Mexico as it circles the Earth. The knowledge gained throughout the selection, design, integration, launch and operational phases is expected to feed into new projects and support the growth of Mexico's space sector. The mission also confirms the role of the Kibo module on the ISS as a platform for international cooperation and a path for new spacefaring nations to gain practical experience in satellite development and operation.