| Keyword |
Description |
| Ixtli |
Nahuatl for “eyes to see,” the name of Mexico’s new satellite mission |
| CubeSat |
A small, low‑cost satellite about 10 cm per side and ~1 kg |
| Gxiba‑1 |
A nanosatellite that measures volcano gases to improve eruption forecasts |
Mexico is building four Earth‑observation satellites called Mission Ixtli to track climate and security risks using data made in Mexico instead of buying images from other countries. Planned to begin launching in December 2026, the constellation takes its name from “Ixtli,” which means “eyes to see” in Nahuatl, showing the goal of watching forests, farms, coasts, and cities with local technology. University teams from UNAM, IPN, CICESE, and UPAEP began the design in December 2024 with a first‑year budget of 100 million pesos, and the plan is to increase homegrown parts to around 50% across satellites and ground stations.
Why does this matter? More than 50 government institutions currently rely on foreign satellite imagery that costs about 250 million pesos per year, and tailored satellites can deliver faster, targeted maps for fires, landslides, crop health, and endangered species, plus civil protection and national security. Leaders say the biggest payoffs—like full independence and a trained space workforce—may take up to 10 years, but building, operating, and learning from these satellites is how a country actually enters the space age. The mission is as much about people and skills as it is about hardware, creating opportunities for students and researchers to gain first‑time experience in space systems.
A key step is Gxiba‑1, a CubeSat from UPAEP set to launch from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center to monitor active volcanoes by sensing changes in gases such as carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide for eruption models. CubeSats are tiny—about 10 cm on a side and roughly 1 kg—so they’re cheaper to build with off‑the‑shelf parts and quicker to test in orbit. UPAEP’s earlier AztechSat‑1 flew in 2019, and together these projects show how small satellites can unlock affordable science while training Mexico’s next generation of space engineers.
Bridging words
These words sound similar in English and Spanish: Why not practice them now?
| English |
Spanish |
| Station |
Estación |
| Generation |
Generación |
| Science |
Ciencia |
Time to discuss
- Should Mexico invest in its own satellites or keep buying imagery from abroad, and why?
- What are the risks and benefits of waiting years for big returns from space projects?
- How should satellites balance public safety needs with people’s privacy on the ground?
Let's write
Answer the following questions in one paragraph:
- Describe how Ixtli data could help one real problem in a Mexican community.
- Explain how CubeSats make space research faster and cheaper than traditional satellites.
