For information only - not an official document

UNIS/OS/475
27 September 2016

UNOOSA and JAXA open second round of KiboCUBE

VIENNA, 27 September (UN Information Service) - The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have announced the second round of applications for the KiboCUBE initiative.

KiboCUBE was launched in September 2015 as a capacity-building initiative between UNOOSA and JAXA to offer developing countries the opportunity to deploy cube satellites (CubeSats) from the Kibo module of the International Space Station (ISS).

"I am very pleased to extend UNOOSA's positive and fruitful partnership with JAXA on this KiboCUBE project. Together we can help developing countries share in the benefits of space technology and inspire future generations in space science," said Simonetta Di Pippo, Director of UNOOSA.

"The recent selection of the University of Nairobi to be the first to benefit from KiboCUBE demonstrated JAXA's fruitful partnership with UNOOSA on this project. It is a great pleasure to announce the second round of applications, which further supports technological development in space activities by utilizing the unique capabilities of the Japanese "Kibo" module on the ISS," said Koichi Wakata, ISS Program Manager of JAXA.

Through the KiboCUBE programme, UNOOSA and JAXA aim to raise awareness of the role that space science and technology plays in promoting sustainable development and contribute to building capacity in space science and technology.

Applications for the second round of the KiboCUBE initiative are open to educational or research institutions from developing countries that are United Nations Member States. Applications close on 31 March 2017.

***

Information about the application process for the United Nations/Japan Cooperation Programme on CubeSat Deployment from the International Space Station (ISS) Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo), "KiboCUBE", is available at: http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/psa/hsti/kibocube.html

* *** *

For further information, please contact:

Daria Brankin
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
Telephone: (+43) 699 1459 8718
Email: daria.brankin[at]unoosa.org