Kildare students represent Ireland at European Space Agency event

Four students from Confey Community College in Co. Kildare represented Ireland at the prestigious European Space Agency (ESA) CanSat event held at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in the Netherlands. 

The students were invited to join 25 national winners from across Europe at the annual ‘Space Engineer for a Day’ event to showcase their innovative satellite project and take part in hands-on learning with leading space engineers. Funded and supported by ESERO Ireland and Research Ireland, the CanSat competition is a STEM initiative run nationally by MTU’s Blackrock Castle Observatory. In partnership with Technological Universities (TUs), who provide critical technical mentorship, access to laboratory facilities and ongoing support to schools, the competition challenges second-level students to design, build, and test satellites built inside soft drink cans. 

Confey Community College’s winning project included features such as particle and gas sensors, solar-powered battery recharging, and SMS messaging technology which shows one of the actual space mission challenges. Their project successfully processed scientific data during a 300-metre rocket drop test.

Mary Selkirk, teacher and mentor at Confey Community College, praised the competition’s impact: “CanSat is a unique challenge that builds resilience, creativity and collaboration in students. The trip to ESTEC offered invaluable insight into the space industry and inspired our students to pursue STEM careers.” ‘I had a fantastic trip to the Netherlands where I gained valuable insights into space technology, particularly ESA's future lunar missions. I also learned about the ideas and innovations of other teams. This CanSat competition was a great challenge and success. As the team's parachute specialist, I improved my problem-solving skills and my teamwork abilities,’ said Eason Zhu, from the winning team."

Alan Giltinan, Manager, Blackrock Castle Observatory, said: “We at Blackrock Castle Observatory are proud to support young people across Ireland in their journey to become the next generation of space engineers and scientists. Through CanSat, we provide students with opportunities to develop their STEM skills, solve real engineering problems and get exposure to Europe’s space sector. The Confey Community College team’s success at ESTEC is a testament to their dedication and the value of this programme.”

CanSat takes place annually and the national winning team earns the opportunity to participate in ESA’s prestigious ESTEC event the following June. ESERO Ireland and MTU Blackrock Castle Observatory look forward to supporting the next generation of innovators and invite schools to apply for the 2026 competition.

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