The first satellite built by Azerbaijani schoolchildren has been successfully launched into orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, AzerTAG reported.
This small-sized PocketQube satellite was created by 7th–9th grade pupils as part of the National Satellite Innovation competition, organized by the Space Academy under Azercosmos, a company of AZCON Holding.
Rashad Bayramov, Advisor to the Minister of Digital Development and Transport, stated that the satellite is named “Azerbaijan’s Victory” in honor of the 5th anniversary of the victory in the Patriotic War. "This proud project is considered a historic turning point in our country’s education and innovation ecosystem. The program, in which 672 pupils from 41 schools across Azerbaijan participated, is one of the largest space initiatives among schoolchildren in the region."
The Victory satellite was built by pupils from School No. 297. The project is regarded as an initiative that combines patriotism, creativity, and technological interest among the younger generation.
Dunay Badirkhanov, Acting Chairman of the Board of Azercosmos, said: "This achievement is an important investment in the country’s future. By giving pupils the opportunity to design, test, and launch real space equipment, we are nurturing the space specialists of tomorrow. This school project is the fruit of the modern space ecosystem that has been developing in our country for 15 years. Today, our schoolchildren have sent not only a satellite but also their dreams into space. This success demonstrates that investments in education in Azerbaijan are turning into real technological outcomes."
Over several months, the pupils working on the satellite learned the basics of space engineering, worked with electronic components, conducted simulations, and assembled the satellite under the guidance of specialists. This project marks a new stage for the country’s developing STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) ecosystem and will be remembered in Azerbaijan’s history as the first satellite fully built by schoolchildren.
The National Satellite Innovation Competition was implemented as a joint initiative of the Space Academy, the Brazilian Space Agency, and IDEIA Space, with support from the State Agency for Preschool and General Education, the Institute of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Innovation and Digital Development Agency, and PASHA Holding.
The “Azerbaijan’s Victory” satellite will conduct baseline tests in orbit, collect telemetry data, and provide pupils with hands-on experience in satellite operations even after launch.
This launch represents the next stage of Azercosmos’s efforts to develop local talent, support youth-led innovation initiatives, and build a sustainable national space ecosystem.