Young engineers test miniature drink can satellites at airfield in Uzbekistan

Young engineers from 15 countries gathered at an airfield outside Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to launch and test miniature satellites. Euronews reported on 28 October 2026 that the student teams built devices small enough to fit inside a standard drink can, moving their creations from classroom calculations to actual rocket launches. [1]

The miniature devices, known as CanSats, were equipped with sensors, electronics, and communication systems designed to gather environmental measurements. According to Euronews, the small models collected data during their flight before descending back to the ground by parachute. [1]

Building a traditional satellite typically requires years of development, dedicated facilities, and significant funding, Euronews reported. The competition in Tashkent challenged participants to overcome those barriers by fitting full sensor and communication setups into tiny frames. [1]

Artificial satellites are spacecraft placed into orbit around celestial bodies for scientific research, Earth observation, navigation, and communications relays. As FTMQ News reported earlier, Uzbekistan previously hosted student technology events in Tashkent, including an October 2026 engineering contest that highlighted sign language translation gloves and health diagnostics. [2][5]