Birds-X Satellite Project - KyuTech

11/10/2025

BIRDS-X Status report and Appreciation letter to all who have supported us.

14/09/2025

🌏🛰 Join the BIRDS-X Ground Terminal Competition! 🛰🌏

The BIRDS-X “Dragonfly” CubeSat, developed at Kyushu Institute of Technology, will soon be deployed from the ISS on 19 September 2025. To celebrate, we invite amateur radio operators worldwide to participate in our Ground Terminal (GT) Competition! 📡✨

🔹 What’s the challenge?
Build or upgrade your VHF ground terminal and digipeat APRS packets through Dragonfly. Demonstrate your skills, connect with the satellite, and score points for every confirmed contact.

🔹 Who can join?
Licensed amateur radio operators from anywhere in the world.

🔹 Competition period:
📅 October–December 2025
📢 Results announced January 2026.

🔗 Apply now and learn more:
👉

The BIRDS-X Project proudly announces the Ground Terminal (GT) Competition, presenting an opportunity for anyone to demonstrate their expertise and propel the frontiers of satellite communication. The competition is open to any amateur radio license holder. We invite you to upgrade/update your amate...

07/09/2025

🌏🛰️ Exciting News from the BIRDS Project! 🛰️🌏

Our satellite BIRDS-X Dragonfly, collaboratively developed by the Kyushu Institute of Technology (Kyutech), Japan, and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies (ACCIMT), Sri Lanka, was successfully launched to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the SpaceX mission SPX-33 on August 24, 2025. 🎉

Now, we’re counting down to the next big milestone:
📅 Deployment into orbit from the ISS on September 19, 2025!

Once in orbit, BIRDS-X will begin transmitting its beacon signal, and we’re inviting the global amateur radio community to join us in receiving and reporting the signal. Your support helps bring space closer to everyone! 🌐📡

🔗 Learn more about BIRDS-X and how you can get involved:
👉 https://birds-x.birds-project.com/

Let’s celebrate this step together as we continue connecting space, science, and society. 🚀💫

31/01/2024

The Handbook for Ground Terminal Competition is now available! Scan the QR code on this post or visit our official website to dive into the essential guide.

22/12/2023

BIRDS-X Ground Terminal Competition: Reach for the Stars!
Challenge your skills and transmit to orbit! The BIRDS-X Ground Terminal Competition invites radio enthusiasts worldwide to connect with Draginfly satellite and unlock exclusive rewards. ️

Points System:

Communication Success: Earn points for each successful contact with the BIRDS-X satellite! Bonus multipliers applied for lower elevations and lower power output.
Data Accuracy: Submit accurate proof of communication with log files, elevation data, and power output screenshots. Every bit counts! ️
Amateur Radio License: Only licensed ham radio operators can participate. Ensure your license is valid and ready to take flight! ✈️

07/08/2023

Meet our engineer from Japan! 🇯🇵
Yuki Hatakeyama is a B4 student in the Department of Space Systems Engineering at Kyutech, specializing in Mechanical and Space Systems. Currently, he is working on a study aimed at simplifying vibration testing of small satellites in LaSEINE.
In BIRDS-X, he is responsible for the the development of new Antenna Deployment Mechanism. 👨‍💻🛰️✨

03/08/2023

Meet our engineer from Japan! 🇯🇵

Souta Miyajima is a B4 student in the Department of Space Systems Engineering at Kyutech, specializing in Mechanical and Space Systems. Currently, he is working on developing a thermal vacuum test system for satellites using Peltier devices in LaSEINE.

In BIRDS-X, he is responsible for the OBC, which serves as the brain of the satellite. He is creating a program to execute the mission and integrate it with other systems! 👨‍💻🛰️✨

03/08/2023

Meet our engineer from Japan! 🇯🇵

Tasuku Matsui is an undergraduate student majoring in Space Mechanical System Engineering at the Kyushu Institute of Technology and pursuing his Bachelor’s degree in LaSEINE. His research focuses on developing an automatic generation system of safety review documents on vibration testing for satellites.📄👨‍💻

In BIRDS-X, he primarily takes care of the Back Plane Board (BPB) and the Structure Subsystem. ✨🛰️

03/08/2023

Meet our engineer from Paraguay! 🇵🇾

Javier Ferrer holds a bachelor's degree in Electromechanical Engineering from the Faculty of Engineering of Universidad Nacional de Asunción. Afterwards, he worked on imagery processing based on the GOES-16 weather satellite and SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite data.

He also contributed to the implementation and operation of the ground station (GS) for Paraguay Space Agency's (AEP) first satellite, GuaraniSat-1.

While operating AEP-GS during BIRDS-4, he provided support to MAYA-3 and MAYA-4 satellites from the Philippines, as well as BIRDS-3 satellites (NepaliSat-1, Raavana-1, Uguisu). This support resulted in the AEP-GS winning the BIRDS Ground Station Network CW reception competition in 2021.✨

Currently, Javier is pursuing his master's degree at Kyutech, with a focus on implementing alternative open-source protocols for amateur satellite communications. 🛜🛰️

In BIRDS-X, he takes on the responsibilities of the APRS payload and APRS Ground Terminals, as well as Ground Station and supporting frequency coordination. 🚀💪

03/08/2023

Meet our engineer from Japan! 🇯🇵

Rintaro Nakao received his Bachelor's degree in Electrical Space System Engineering from Kyutech. For his bachelor's thesis, he created a program to determine the electron temperature from the V-I characteristics of the plasma. This program will be installed in a new observation instrument onboard the satellite. 🛰️💻

Currently, he is pursuing a master's degree in LaSEINE, focusing on the development of a plasma observation instrument for the near-Earth environment, which will be applicable for a Cubesat size.

In BIRDS-X, he is in charge of the Onboard Computer (OBC) subsystem, which serves as the brain of the satellite!🛰️🚀✨

03/08/2023

Meet our engineer from Thailand! 🇹🇭

Merisa Kosiyakul earned her Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB), where she was involved in the development of Cubesats and micro satellites. 🛰️

Currently, she is pursuing her Master's degree at LaSEINE in Kyutech, focusing her research on a critical aspect of satellite design: the thermal control system.🔥

In BIRDS-X project, she takes on the responsibility of both the Thermal Control System (TCS) and the development of new Antenna Deployment Mechanism.🚀✨

03/08/2023

Meet our engineer from Japan! 🇯🇵

Yudai Etsunaga holds a bachelor's degree in Space Mechanical System Engineering from Kyutech. He joined LaSEINE during his 3rd year and spent his last year at the University of Rome Sapienza, conducting his bachelor's thesis on long-range and micropower communication for terrestrial sensor acquisition using Cubesat.

Currently, he is pursuing his master's degree at Kyutech, focusing on developing a Ground Sensor Terminal for CubeSat as his thesis topic. 📡🛰️

In BIRDS-X, he is responsible for the Tele-Communication Subsystem, managing a link budget, designing an antenna panel, frequency coordination, as well as the Ground Station. 🛰️🚀✨