The “Expanding CubeSat Research and Development Efforts in Philippine Universities” Initiative, or ECRADLE, aims to promote the expansion of nanosatellite R&D activities in the academe, leveraging the momentum gained through efforts of the STEP-UP Project, STAMINA4Space Program of DOST and UP Diliman. Towards this goal, PhilSA shall play an initiatory leading role, providing a venue whereby Philippine universities collaborate, contribute / share innovative ideas and realize them, in a nanosatellite project. Specifically, this initiative pursues the following objectives:

• To provide a platform that encourages and enables Philippine universities to participate in nanosatellite R&D activities
• To foster and strengthen PhilSA-academe and inter-university nanosatellite R&D collaborations that facilitate that fruitful exchange of ideas
• To transfer know-how on nanosatellite design and development to Philippine universities.

To achieve these objectives, ECRADLE will pursue the following strategic activities / actions within this year (2022):

• Organize and deliver a CubeSat Design and Development Workshop for participants from Philippine universities
• Organize a Mission Idea Contest (RMIC) - an open call & competition for universities to submit a proposal for an innovative bus / mission module for possible implementation / integration into the ACCESS Nanosat Project’s 2U CubeSat.
• Provide best effort technical/information support on the BIRDS open source CubeSat bus