For information only - not an official document

UNIS/MA/261
18 October 2019

MEDIA ADVISORY

Media representatives are invited to the

UNOOSA/Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) press event on KiboCUBE

22 October 2019, 3.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m.

JAXA booth, International Astronautical Congress, Washington D.C., US

VIENNA/WASHINGTON D.C./VIENNA, 18 October (United Nations Information Service) - The United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) invite media representatives to a press event on their joint KiboCUBE programme. The event will be held on Tuesday 22 October, from 3.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m., at the JAXA booth at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Washington D.C.

The KiboCUBE programme, which this year concluded its fifth round of applications, offers institutions from developing countries the opportunity to develop a 1U Cube Satellite to be deployed from the International Space Station (ISS) Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo".

The first CubeSat developed under the programme, by the University of Nairobi, was deployed from the ISS on 11 May 2018 as the first Kenyan satellite, as well as the first object launched into space with the support and under the auspices of the United Nations.

At the event, representatives from UNOOSA and JAXA, as well as winners from the programme, will give remarks and answer questions on the achievements and future of KiboCUBE.

More information about KiboCUBE can be found here: http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/psa/hsti/kibocube.html     

The event will include remarks from:

• Simonetta Di Pippo, Director, UNOOSA
• Hiroshi Yamakawa, President, JAXA

 There will also be an interview-style panel discussion with:

• Simonetta Di Pippo, Director, UNOOSA
• Koichi Wakata, Vice President, Astronaut, JAXA
• Luis Zea, Co-Director, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala, 2nd round winners of KiboCUBE
• Viorel Bostan, Rector, Technical University of Moldova, 4th round winners of KiboCUBE

After the remarks and the discussion, media representatives and the general public will have a chance to ask questions.

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Media accreditation:

Media representatives who wish to attend the ceremony and reception should write to: Silvia Antolino, International Astronautical Federation, Tel: +33 (0) 1 45 67 58 18, Email: silvia.antolino[at]iafastro.org

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For more information, please contact:

Ottavia Pesce
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)
Telephone: (+43 699) 1459 8718
Email: pesce[at]un.org

and

Yoko Kagiwada
JAXA
Tel: +81-50-3362-2984
Email: kagiwada.yoko[at]jaxa.jp