Apply now for the CubeSat Hands-On Training Week 2026

The experience

This training week is a unique opportunity for university students to gain practical experience with CubeSats and to apply the theoretical notions they have learnt in academic courses. Working in pairs, students will have the opportunity to experiment with the Educational Satellite (ESAT), similar to a 1U CubeSat and developed by Theia Space, with the specific aim of providing university students with practical experience. They will learn how different subsystems work and interact with each other, discover how to conduct Assembly, Integration and Verification (AIV), and how to handle tests using real hardware. The goal is to support students who are developing innovative ideas for educational CubeSat missions or working on CubeSat projects in their early conceptual or preliminary stage. By the end of the training, participants will be able to apply the new knowledge to the initial design phases of their own CubeSat initiatives.

The focus throughout the Training Week will be on hands-on learning with ‘’lab sessions’’ supervised by staff from Theia Space, which will be preceded by lectures covering the various fields of CubeSat subsystems, testing and operations, delivered by ESA experts. As such, this training week is an ideal introduction to the Fly Your Satellite! programme.

Before arriving to ESA ESEC, the selected students will be asked to complete up to 5 hours of preparatory work, including reading material and exercises, to better prepare for this Training Week. A Q/A session with the experts will be scheduled the week before the training to solve any doubt the students might have about the content of the preparatory material.

Students will be evaluated on their group work throughout the Training Week. Upon completion students will receive a certificate and course transcript, allowing them to request ECTS credits from their respective universities.

Preliminary schedule

Day 1	Welcome and introduction Fly Your Satellite! programme and system engineering principles - lecture Introduction to ESAT model - Lab session Electrical Power System (EPS) - Lecture & Lab session
Day 2	Software – Lecture & Lab session On-Board Data Handling (OBDH) - Lecture
Day 3	On-Board Data Handling (OBDH) - Lab session Attitude Determination Control System (ADCS) - Lecture Assembly, Integration and Verification (AIV) & Testing – Lecture
Day 4	ADCS – Lab session AIV & Testing – Lab session Spacecraft Communications – Lecture & Lab session
Day 5	Spacecraft operations - Lecture & Lab Session Conclusion

Who can apply?

Eligibility criteria

To participate, students must fulfil the following criteria:

• aged minimum of 18 years old.  ESA Academy and relevant partners will only appraise applications from students who have no or limited professional experience in relevant scientific, engineering or other space-related topics;
• be a national of an ESA Member State, Canada*, or Associate Member
• be enrolled as a university student for the academic year 2026-2027 in a Bachelor (i.e., BSc or equivalent), Master (i.e., MSc or equivalent), or Doctoral (i.e., PhD or equivalent) degree programme;
• be studying an Engineering or Scientific subject (with good knowledge in space technology). 

Sponsorship & attendance

Sponsorship

Selected students will be requested to attend the entire 5-day training week at ESA ESEC. They will be sponsored by ESA to cover accommodation and meals, as well as up to 350 Euros for travelling to and from Belgium.

Diversity & inclusion statement

ESA is committed to achieving diversity and creating an inclusive professional environment. To this end, we welcome proposals and applications from all eligible candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability, or other characteristics. The ESA Academy strongly encourages inclusiveness within its programmes and within participating teams, which contributes to the enrichment of our programme. 

Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support, either digitally or at the location of the training. In case of any questions or specific needs, please reach out to academy.training@esa.int to get assistance or advice during the application process. 

* Canadian students enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary institution may apply for additional support from the Canadian Space Agency through this Announcement of Opportunity (grant applications must be submitted at least 7 weeks before the event start date – create an account as soon as possible!). This additional support is to cover costs that are not already covered by ESA for selected Canadian post-secondary students.

 

How to apply?

• Apply through ESA Learn, the ESA Education and Community Platform;
• Upload a motivation letter (PDF, maximum 1 page, no image);
• Upload a CV (PDF, Europass format, maximum 2 pages, no image);
• Upload a formal recommendation letter (PDF, maximum 1 page, including signature, no image) from a university professor or academic supervisor of the current university (if it is not possible to receive the recommendation letter from your referee, please ask them to send a recommendation email to academy.training@esa.int before the application deadline);
• Upload a copy of your Transcript of Grades from the two previous semesters, or, if not available, the previous graded academic year (PDF).

All answers and documents should be in English (except Transcript of Grades if not available).  

Deadlines

Application deadline: Sunday 19 July 2026, 23:55 CEST.

Selection announcement: Monday 3 August 2026.

Before you apply

Accommodation

• Participants will stay at Mercure hotel in Han –Sur-Lesse.
• The hotel will be provided and paid for by ESA.
• Students will be assigned shared rooms with participants of the same gender.

Arrival and Departure

Arrival:

• Students are expected to arrive at Rochefort Jemelles train station on Sunday, 25 October 2026.

Departure:

• Either Friday, 30 October 2026 after 19:30 CET (from Rochefort Jemelles train station), or
• Saturday, 31 October 2026 before 11:00 CET

Important:

• Selected students are required to attend the entire workshop from start to finish.

Transportation During the Workshop

A bus service will be provided and paid for participants by ESA:

• Morning: Hotel → ESA ESEC-Galaxia
• Evening: ESA ESEC-Galaxia → Hotel

Contact & Further information

For more information, please contact:academy.training@esa.int