International student aerospace research and competitions

International student-led aerospace initiatives are expanding through orbital missions, stratospheric research, and design competitions.

In early October 2026, Brazilian students from Sorocaba and Fortaleza prepared to launch EduSat-2 and EduSat-3 nanossatellites via a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This project, part of the ‘AEB – Escola em Órbita’ program, involves a collaboration between Ideia Space and the Brazilian Space Agency. Concurrently, students from the University of Porto’s Faculty of Engineering were selected by the European Space Agency to conduct Synthetic Aperture Radar measurements during a stratospheric balloon mission.

Further educational engagement is seen in Spain and Argentina through specialized competitions. The Spanish Space Design Competition in Tenerife tasks high school students with simulating an aerospace company to design space settlements. Meanwhile, Argentina’s National Commission for Space Activities has launched the CANSAT Universitario 2026-2027 competition, challenging university students to design and flight-test small-scale satellites.