Canada's CUBICS Initiative Supported by Exolaunch
Program Designed to Advance STEM Learning
A Launch Services Agreement (LSA) between the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and Exolaunch will support the deployment of CubeSats as part of CUBICS ... CubeSats Initiative in Canada for STEM. The program is designed to advance space science and technology while training Canada's future space leaders.
"CSA's CUBICS program is an incredible initiative that not only encourages CubeSat innovation, but also empowers ambitious students to gain real-world spaceflight experience."
Robert W. Sproles, Exolaunch
The agreement enables the launch of nine 3U CubeSats, developed by Canadian universities, with options for additional missions through mid-2028. These satellites will be deployed via a rideshare mission no earlier than mid-2026, with integration taking place at CSA's facilities in Quebec.
Through this agreement, Exolaunch will provide its industry-leading mission integration, testing, and satellite deployment services. The satellites will be deployed using EXOpod Nova, Exolaunch's next-generation CubeSat separation system, which provides enhanced flexibility, scalability and reliability for high-performance missions. With this contract, Exolaunch grows its activities in Canada, reinforcing its commitment to enabling cost-effective, reliable access to space for government agencies, research institutions, and commercial satellite operators worldwide.
"CSA's CUBICS program is an incredible initiative that not only encourages CubeSat innovation, but also empowers ambitious students to gain real-world spaceflight experience," said Robert W. Sproles, chief executive officer at Exolaunch. "At Exolaunch, we are deeply committed to making space more accessible, and we are honored to provide our flight-proven EXOpod Nova deployers to ensure these CubeSats reach orbit safely and successfully. We look forward to supporting CSA and the brilliant teams behind these projects.”
The CubeSats supported under CSA's CUBICS program are developed by nine Canadian universities, each contributing cutting-edge research and technology demonstrations across a range of scientific disciplines, including Earth observation, space weather monitoring, and communications technology.
In the coming months, CSA will host technical meetings, where Exolaunch will engage with the participating universities, review student presentations, and gather mission requirements to optimize the integration and deployment process.