Working on the design, integration and operation of space systems and participating in processes related to the construction of satellites that will be placed in orbit seem like tasks reserved for professionals in the aerospace industry, but for 10 days the young student Mariana España lived this experience thanks to the ShakthiSAT Mission.
Mariana traveled to India as a representative of Panama in the second phase of ShakthiSAT, an international initiative led by Space Kidz India that seeks to bring young people from 108 countries closer to science, technology, engineering, mathematics and space sciences.
The mission has involved around 12,000 young people between 15 and 18 years old and consists of the construction and launch of two satellites, as part of a training process that seeks, in addition to transmitting technical knowledge, to create an international community of future leaders in the space sector.
First stage
Mariana’s journey began long before she boarded the plane to India. He did so when he saw a publication on social networks from the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (Senacyt), in which the call for the program was announced.
“I got a post from Senacyt promoting the program. The possibility of training in space engineering immediately caught my attention and I decided to apply. I even encouraged several friends from school to participate,” she recalls.
This first phase of ShakthiSAT was developed in the participating countries. In Panama, Senacyt coordinated the training process for young people selected to participate in the initiative. Among the activities carried out were educational days in Chiriquí and Coclé, which combined astronomy, scientific exploration and spaces for interaction with specialists.
In Chiriquí, the participants visited the Chiriquí Astronomy Observatory, where they made observations and learned about the operation of the facilities. In Coclé, they participated in a day at the Astronomical Observatory of Panama of the National Directorate of Space Sciences of the Technological University of Panama.
Closer to space
The second phase took place at Gautam Buddha University, in India, between August 22 and 31. There, 108 young representatives from the participating countries met for an intense academic and practical agenda.
“Ten super intense days, but really very beautiful, with a lot of learning and a lot of growth,” says Mariana.
The pace was demanding. The activities lasted from approximately 8:00 am to 10:00 pm
Before approaching satellite hardware, participants had to build a knowledge base that would allow them to understand what they were doing. They received classes on mission planning, space vehicle design, systems control, thermal control and materials engineering, among other topics. The training was given by specialists with experience in different areas of the aerospace industry.
For Mariana, one of the most valuable elements of the program was being able to listen to professionals from different parts of the world and with decades of experience. Then, theory gave way to practice. Participants worked alongside experts on satellite-related components and systems, including solar panels, magnetorquers—devices used to control the orientation of a satellite using the Earth’s magnetic field—and locking mechanisms. drag sailused to facilitate the deorbitation of a ship at the end of its mission.
They also participated in assembly and integration processes.
Satellites and community
The mission contemplates two space developments with different objectives. One corresponds to a one-unit satellite destined for the lunar environment, while the other is a two-unit satellite designed to operate in low Earth orbit. In the latter Mariana worked together with the other participants.
The satellite that will orbit the Earth will provide information for scientific research. Mariana highlights, for example, that an infrared thermal camera on the satellite will make it possible to observe changes in the structure of the Earth and study geological and seismic phenomena. A magnetic sensor was also incorporated, as part of the project’s technological experimentation.
The intention, explains Mariana, is that the information and technologies developed can later contribute to generating solutions for problems on Earth.
And if technical training was one of the great components of the experience, international coexistence was another.
Upon arriving in India, the young women did not share languages or cultures. In common they had the goal of learning and contributing together to a space mission.
Mariana remembers that during the first days it was common to take photographs with the flags of their respective countries. As the days passed, that individual identity gave way to a collective one.
One of the central purposes of ShakthiSAT is precisely to build a global community capable of collaborating in the development of the aerospace sector, in addition to promoting leadership, communication, collaborative work and international relations capabilities.
Panama footprint
The participation of Panama, represented by Mariana, had an outstanding result in the final evaluation of the program.
Mariana obtained first place in the test applied to measure the knowledge acquired during the concentration, a first place shared with Burkina Faso.
To this were added other recognitions, including one associated with the world record awarded to the participants for being part of this international STEM initiative made up exclusively of girls and young people, as well as recognitions related to leadership in STEM areas.
The experience was also recorded by a team that produced a documentary for National Geographic during the stay in India. Mariana says that Panama had an important participation in the interviews carried out for that production.
Launch
The mission is not over yet. After the training and integration phases of the components in India, the launch of the satellites remains ahead. The planned launch date for the low-Earth orbit component is October 11, 2026, from India. This is a date that may change due to operational or weather conditions.
The lunar component continues its development and is part of the next stage of the space mission.
For Mariana, knowing that some of the systems she worked on may eventually reach space changes the dimension of what she has learned. It is no longer just about having taken a class on satellites or having visited a foreign university; had the opportunity to get closer to the process by which an idea goes from theory to hardware that will leave the planet to help generate knowledge from above.
To learn more information about the ShakthiSAT program you can visit the page cosmos.senacyt.gob.pa/shakthisat
