Space Meet: BUT hosted a meeting of student space technology developers

On the last day of February, the Brno University of Technology (BUT) was the next stop for an event called Space Meet. Enthusiasts of space technologies from five Czech university teams gathered at the rectorate to share knowledge and experiences, for example, in the development of satellites, rockets, and rovers. The event was organized by the YSpace association from BUT.

The participants of Space Meet were welcomed by BUT Rector Ladislav Janíček, who described student creative activities as the future of higher education. “Being a member of such an association is not only about education but also about developing skills, teamwork, and project management,” he mentioned, emphasizing that creative activities, particularly in the field of space technologies, have great potential to attract high school students to technical studies.

The first speaker was Filip Čapka, a systems engineer from YSpace. He introduced two key missions currently being prepared by the association, which is based at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication Technologies of BUT.

Mission KOSTKA, scheduled to launch at the end of 2025 at the earliest, aims to be the first Czech student satellite, a so-called CubeSat, to reach orbit. The mission's goal is to test a communication module, which YSpace is currently developing along with other satellite components. The module is designed to facilitate data transmission between two distant ground stations.

KOSTKA also serves as a preparatory mission for a larger and more demanding mission, CIMER, which YSpace is preparing in collaboration with Mendel University. Filip Čapka provided details on the recent success of the CIMER mission’s selection for the Fly Your Satellite! Design Booster program, organized by the European Space Agency (ESA). He also discussed the benefits of the program, including consultations and satellite subsystem testing opportunities.

Next, the CTU Space Research association from the Czech Technical University in Prague took the stage, represented by team leader Tomáš Starosta and avionics lead Tomáš Ehrenberger. Their main team project is Andromeda, a four-meter, thirty-kilogram rocket designed to reach an altitude of three kilometers. Representatives of CTU Space Research presented their development of new modular batteries and an aerodynamic brake system for the rocket.

The UWB Robotics team from the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen was represented by its member Tomáš Blažek. The team's goal is to prepare a rover, or test platform, for this year’s Anatolian Rover Challenge.

UWB Robotics also shared their experience using Multijet Fusion 3D Printing Technology, which involves sintering powder under an infrared lamp. The resulting plastic parts, used for constructing the rover prototype, offer higher strength than those produced by conventional 3D printing.

Another team from BUT, Brno Mars Rover, is also working on a test platform for a simulated space mission. Stanislav Svědiroh introduced the team’s fully autonomous rover designed for the European Rover Challenge, which takes place in Poland under the patronage of ESA. The rover includes a manipulator for sample collection and a drilling submodule. The team is currently preparing extensive documentation for the competition.

The final speaker was Lukáš Málek, a member of the Czech Rocket Society, which connects university and high school students interested in space technologies across institutions. The association is involved in the development of a rocket for the CanSat competition, where high school teams design mini-satellites that the rocket will carry to an altitude of one kilometer. It also organizes the Czech Rocket Challenge, the first rocket competition for high school and university students in the Czech Republic.

The Czech Rocket Society also hosted the first meeting of student space associations in Prague last November, where participants agreed that the event would rotate among the involved teams. As the second in line, YSpace took over the organization this time.

“The goal is for student associations in the space technology field to meet in person, share their current projects and plans, and possibly agree on mutual assistance. One of the concrete benefits of the Brno meeting was the exchange of experiences regarding the use of 3D printing for space applications,” said Šimon Sloboda, YSpace's head of communication, adding, “Networking plays a key role in every industry, and we are pleased that it is developing even in the relatively small Czech space community. We were delighted by the large turnout, including representatives from Prague and Pilsen. We are already looking forward to the next meeting, which will take place in Pilsen.”