| Keyword |
Description |
| Satellite |
An object that travels around a larger object in space, following a path called an orbit |
| Emergency |
A dangerous situation that happens suddenly and needs quick action |
| Collaboration |
When people or groups work together to reach a common goal |
Popocatépetl, the active volcano between Mexico City and Puebla, is now being watched from space thanks to a small satellite built by university students in Puebla. The nanosatellite is called GStylexiba‑1 and was created by students and teachers at UPAEP, a university in Puebla. It was sent to space and released from the Japanese Kibo module of the International Space Station, and now it travels about 400 kilometers above Earth. Its main job is to watch the volcano and help keep people safe.
This launch happened in the same week that Popocatépetl, also known as “El Popo” or “Don Goyo,” became more active. Mexico’s disaster agency, Cenapred, gave a yellow phase 2 alert and told people not to get close to the crater because of the danger of hot rock fragments. In just one day, the volcano had 20 small gas and ash plumes and a long 158‑minute period of constant emissions. Gxiba‑1 uses a camera to see how the ash moves in the air, and it sends this information to Cenapred to help them decide what to do in an emergency.
Gxiba‑1 is part of an international program called KiboCUBE, run by the United Nations and Japan, that helps countries send small satellites into space. Students from several countries, including Kenya, Guatemala, Indonesia, and now Mexico, have built satellites through this project. At UPAEP, between 30 and 80 students worked with professors to design, build, and operate the satellite as a real engineering mission. The name “Gxiba” comes from the Zapotec language and means “universe” or “stars,” connecting space technology with Indigenous culture.
Bridging words
These words sound similar in English and Spanish: Why not practice them now?
| English |
Spanish |
| Space |
Espacio |
| Disaster agency |
Agencia de desastres |
| Satellite |
Satélite |
Time to discuss
- Should students work on real projects that can affect people’s safety?
- Is watching a volcano from space better than only using cameras on the ground?
- How important is it for different countries to work together in space projects?
Let's write
Answer the following questions in one paragraph:
- How do you think Gxiba‑1 can change the way we protect people who live near volcanoes?
- Would you like to work on a project like this in the future? Explain why or why not.
