The 1st EELISA Space Challenge is a two-day hybrid event dedicated to the Space Industry, space technologies, and hands-on aerospace education. The activity brings together students, educators, researchers, industry professionals, public authorities, and student organisations from across the EELISA Alliance.

The event is structured around two main components. The first is the Rocketry Workshop, where participants explore rocket design, construction, and launch preparation through lectures, mentoring, a round-table discussion with professionals, and practical team activities. The second is Qube2Space, a nanosatellite/space mission student challenge organised as a time-limited hackathon. In this challenge, student teams develop innovative small satellite mission concepts and technical solutions under realistic engineering constraints.

The activity promotes challenge-based learning by encouraging students to work in interdisciplinary teams, apply theoretical knowledge to real engineering problems, receive feedback from mentors, and present their solutions to experts. Participants will develop technical, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, prototyping, and project management skills that are directly relevant to future careers in the European space sector.

The event supports SDG 4 by offering inclusive practice-based STEM education, SDG 9 by encouraging innovation in nanosatellite and rocketry technologies, and SDG 17 by strengthening cooperation between universities, students, industry partners, research organisations, and public stakeholders. The activity is open to both on-site and online participants, allowing students from different EELISA institutions to take part and contribute to a shared European learning community in space engineering

Enrollment conditions

The activity is open to students from EELISA institutions, especially Bachelor, Master, and PhD students interested in space technologies, aerospace engineering, electronics, mechanical engineering, computer science, materials science, robotics, telecommunications, data analysis, innovation, or related fields. No previous professional experience in the space sector is required. Participants should be willing to work in interdisciplinary teams and take part in challenge-based learning activities.

For the Qube2Space challenge and hands-on rocketry activities, participants may be organised into teams. Depending on available capacity, priority may be given to students who can commit to the full activity duration and who demonstrate motivation to contribute actively to the team-based tasks.

WHEN

From 5 to 6 November, 2026

WHERE

Onsite in Bucharest

APPLICATION DEADLINE

You can register via EELISA Digital Campus until 1 August, 2026