BUT students are heading to space: the KOSTKA satellite will launch in the summer of 2026

Students have developed KOSTKA, the first Czech student satellite, which they designed and built entirely on their own. This small CubeSat (approx. 10 cm, 1 kg) has successfully passed its final tests and is scheduled to launch into Earth orbit in the summer of 2026 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The project was developed by the YSpace team and serves primarily as a practical learning experience for students and as a stepping stone for future, more technologically demanding missions. The satellite will carry an experimental antenna for measuring radio interference and will also provide data to amateur radio operators.

Students have been involved in the development since 2023 – from design and manufacturing to testing, including rigorous vibration tests in cleanrooms. The project also bridges the gap between academia and the Czech space industry, helping students gain valuable experience and contacts for their future careers.

📸 Attached are recent photos of the final preparations for the satellite in the CEITEC BUT cleanroom and of the dean’s visit, which document the final phase of the project and the support of the faculty leadership.

We have already written about the KOSTKA mission in an article "First Czech satellite designed and built entirely by students is heading into space"