ESA has launched a new industry mentorship initiative as part of the Fly Your Satellite! programme. The initiative connects university teams with professionals from European space industry, offering complementary practical knowledge on industry work practices, in addition to ESA’s core support from various directorates.
The Fly Your Satellite! industry mentorship initiative has officially launched, aiming to strengthen ties between education and industry and better prepare future space professionals. This effort is part of ESA’s Space for Education 2030 vision, which fosters collaboration between ESA, academia, and industry to equip students with the skills and network needed to thrive in the evolving space sector.
Through direct interaction with mentors, student teams will build on the theoretical and practical knowledge gained in Fly Your Satellite! programme, broadening their view and advancing their professional maturity. While ESA experts provide core support helping students during design, development, testing and reviews, industry mentors can offer complementary insights into industry workflows and offer practical advice on professional methods.
A call for mentors was launched earlier this year, and a group of industry professionals have been matched with teams based on their experience and the satellite project needs. Thanks to the individuals and companies that have volunteered time for this, several teams from Fly Your Satellite! are now assigned a mentor:
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The AcubeSAT team from Greece
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The ALEASAT team from Canada
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The CIMER team from Czech Republic
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The Da Vinci Satellite team from Netherlands
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The FEIsat team from Slovakia
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The PoCat-LEKTRON team from Spain
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The STRATHcube team from United Kingdom
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The UCAnFly team from Spain
The mentors come from space companies across Europe, from satellite manufacturers and launch providers, to automation, information, communication and technology experts. During the next months, mentors and teams will meet regularly to discuss challenges and how students can improve in some areas, aligning with professional practices.
Both teams and mentors are excited to start this journey. As Alberto, a mentor specialised in Systems Engineering aptly puts it, “By teaching, we learn”.
Stay tuned for updates as the mentorship progresses, and meanwhile, you can learn more about Fly Your Satellite! in our website.
About Fly Your Satellite!
Fly Your Satellite! is ESA’s educational satellite program that empowers university student teams to design, build, and launch their own nanosatellites. With guidance from ESA specialists, students navigate the various development phases of spacecraft design and receive technical and managerial support tailored to real-world space engineering challenges.
By participating in the programme, students implement standard practices for spacecraft development; receive support from experienced ESA specialists; attend tailored training courses; and have access to state-of-the-art test facilities. To date, 50 nanosatellite projects from 20 countries have received support at different stages of their development. Of these, 15 satellites have successfully reached orbit, benefiting from the launch opportunities provided by Fly Your Satellite! More than 2,000 students have already taken part in this invaluable learning experience, strengthening Europe’s future space workforce.