Student Team ‘Da Vinci Satellite’ secures contract with ESA for CubeSat mission
TU Delft’s student team Da Vinci Satellite (DSV) has reached a significant milestone by signing a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for their upcoming CubeSat mission. As part of this agreement, DVS is now officially included in ESA’s ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ program. This collaboration propels the teams ambitious project to design, build, launch and operate a nanosatellite that directly connects primary and secondary school children with space.
A project to inspire the next generation
The Da Vinci Satellite team, entirely composed of students, was founded four years ago with the goal of making space science more accessible for children. To achieve this, the team set the ambitious challenge of developing a satellite that school students could interact with directly from their classrooms, providing a unique educational opportunity to learn about the impact of space.
“To realize this vision, the DVS project benefits greatly from the facilities available at the TU Delft Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, and the vital support from the faculty staff: Stefano Speretta, Şevket Uludağ and Johan Vennekens ”, emphasises Nicolas Oidtmann, the team’s Technical Manager.
The team has completed the design phase, incorporating interactive elements such as a dice game and a ‘bit-flip’ challenge for students. Now, they are focused on the building and testing phases. Thanks to the support of ESA, DVS has access to state-of-the-art testing facilities at the CubeSat Support Facility at ESEC Galaxia, as well as the extensive knowledge and expertise of ESA specialists. When the subsystem, the full-system and the environmental tests are successfully completed, the satellite is hopefully will be launched in 2026.
In a project like DVS, things will go wrong, even if you think you’ve prepared for every eventuality. In those moments, you learn the importance of collaboration, open and honest communication, and staying focused on solving problems and learning from them.
says Nicolas Oidtmann, the team’s Technical Manager.
The road to launch
“This is an exciting moment for our team,” says Agata Zdanowicz, Project Manager for DVS and aerospace engineering student leading the initiative. “Securing a contract with ESA shows that our project has reached a level of maturity and credibility that few student teams achieve. With ESA supporting our mission, we now have a clear path toward the launch.”
A clear path is essential for a dynamic student team like DVS. With members frequently graduating or leaving for international internships, there is a high turnover rate. New members must quickly adapt and ‘learn on the job,’ which makes it a great learning experience. The typical format of the ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ programme, where the students have to defend their engineering choices in front of ESA expert, pushing them to become an even better engineering team.
Overcoming challenges as a team
As they approach the upcoming test campaign, the team anticipates gaining invaluable knowledge about the satellite’s performance. This phase is crucial, as it’s when issues typically surface, representing the most significant test for any satellite mission.
We hope this mission inspires other students to pursue their own ideas and innovations in the field of aerospace. The support from ESA and the resources available at TU Delft have allowed us to take our vision to new heights, and we’re excited to see where this journey takes us.
says Agata Zdanowicz, Project Manager for DVS and aerospace engineering student leading the initiative.
Looking ahead
With the test campaign approaching and the launch targeted for 2026 , the involvement of ESA not only provides vital support but also highlights the potential impact of student-led projects. DVS’s mission promises to leave a lasting legacy by engaging young minds and expanding access to space education through direct interaction with real satellite technology.