SGAC Azerbaijan

National Points of Contact Azerbaijan

Welcome to the SGAC page of Azerbaijan!

Our goal is to raise awareness about everything-space among the younger generation and encourage them to participate in space-related activities in Azerbaijan. We focus on fostering the integration of young Azerbaijani students and engineers into the global space community, facilitating the continuous growth of this network. Simultaneously, we aim to provide support and inspiration to our young space communities. On this page, you will find most relevant and updated information about the growing space industry in Azerbaijan.

The constant and expeditious growth of the global satellite industry has prompted Azerbaijan to focus on the development of the space industry, building up on the country’s years-long legacy of related space activities that date back as far as the 13th century. Azercosmos, Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, founded in 2010 as the first and only satellite operator in the Caucasus region, is currently operating two telecommunication (Azerspace-1 and Azerspace-2) and one Earth observation (Azersky) satellites, successfully delivering high quality and reliable services to businesses and governmental institutions across the globe. Being committed to creating a better connected, developed and secure world for future generations, Azercosmos aims to emerge as one of the driving forces in the global space industry.

Transformed into the Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan in 2021, Azercosmos is the leading force behind the development of innovative space ecosystem in Azerbaijan. Apart from delivering a broad spectrum of services and solutions via its satellite fleet, Azercosmos engages in a wide range of R&D activities that aim to foster the technological advancement. The Agency cooperates with international stakeholders and partners to be fully integrated in the global space ecosystem, participate in major global projects, build the local know-how, and ensure the establishment and strengthening of collaborative ties in the space industry.

Azercosmos had been at the forefront of a series of comprehensive activities aimed at bringing various international space events to Azerbaijan. Fifty years after hosting the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) for the first time, Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, welcomed the global space community at the 74th IAC held in 2023. One of the most prominent events in the field, IAC brought together more than 6,000 industry members, served as a platform for relationship-building and knowledge and expertise sharing, and contributed to the development of human capital. Some other noteworthy events held in Azerbaijan with the support of Azercosmos included ActInSpace Hackathon, CanSat model satellite competition, the NASA International Space Apps Challenge hackathon, and many others. Azercosmos was also the national coordinator of the World Space Week for Azerbaijan as of 2022.

Azercosmos places a strong emphasis on designing educational activities for students, and thus various events, field trips to operation and research facilities, training programs, internships are continuously being organized in cooperation with local universities for students expressing interest in space research and satellite technologies. Hence, there is a great potential in Azerbaijan for the promotion of space-related activities under SGAC coordination and the establishment of communication channels between national youth space network and the SGAC.

Youth Space Activities

Space Generation Advisory Council local events

Each year “Space Generation Azerbaijan” (SG Azerbaijan) co-organized by Azercosmos and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), focusses on the variety space topics. These events aim to promote STEAM education, highlight the benefits of space for all, and ensure the active participation of young professionals in space science and technology. Featuring a diverse group of students, experts, and enthusiasts aged 18-35, SG Azerbaijan events provide a platform for collaboration and knowledge exchange through sessions, panel discussions, webinars, master classes, and networking opportunities. The initiative underscores the importance of environmentally responsible space activities and calls for youth engagement in shaping the future of the space sector. SG Azerbaijan events have raised awareness about how space initiatives can enhance daily life both locally and globally.

CanSat Azerbaijan

Organized jointly by Azercosmos and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, CanSat Azerbaijan is a yearly model satellite competition held among university students. It is designed mainly to promote the space industry among the country’s young generation and foster the development of human capital in this sphere. The participating teams compete in small satellite model design, assembly and function implementation. In 2022, the contest has been held for the 4th time.

  • CanSat 2018, January 5 – September 29, 2018; venue – Azercosmos, Main Satellite Ground Control Station (MSGCS)
  • CanSat 2019, December 20, 2018 – June 28, 2019; venue – Azercosmos, Main Satellite Ground Control Station (MSGCS)
  • CanSat 2020, December 18, 2020 – January 31, 2022; venue – Azercosmos, Main Satellite Ground Control Station (MSGCS)
  • CanSat 2023, December 18, 2022 – July, 2023; venue – Open range of the military unit of the Internal Troops in the city of Hajigabul

Rocketry Azerbaijan Festival

Held within the framework of the CanSat Azerbaijan competition, the Rocketry Azerbaijan Festival was organized for the teams that successfully passed the design stage of the competition. The participants had a chance to receive training delivered by leading experts in the field about the structure, features and working principles of carrier rockets. During the festival, the model satellites prepared by the participants of the CanSat competition were placed into rockets and launched at the Main Satellite Ground Control Station (MSGCS) of Azercosmos.

  • April 12, 2019; venue – Azercosmos, Main Satellite Ground Control Station (MSGCS)

ActInSpace Hackathon

ActInSpace is an international innovation contest aimed at encouraging entrepreneurship and start-up creation in the space industry, as well as promoting the use of space tech and data. ActInSpace Azerbaijan is held among students, researchers, developers and anyone with an expressed interest towards the field and readiness to take on the challenges prepared by the organizers.

  • ActInSpace 2018, May 25-26, 2018; venue – the French-Azerbaijani University (UFAZ), Baku, Azerbaijan
  • ActInSpace 2020, April 24-25, 2020; venue – the French-Azerbaijani University (UFAZ), Baku, Azerbaijan

NASA Space Apps Hackathon

NASA Space Apps is an international hackathon that occurs over 48 hours in various places around the world, uniting space communities from more than 150 countries. Based on the open data provided by NASA, teams work on creating innovative solutions that would address a wide range of real-world social, economic, environmental and other issues. Held in Azerbaijan for the first time in 2019, the hackathon brought together around 50 teams from various educational institutions, governmental organizations, and private companies.

  • October 18-20, 2019; venue – ADA University, Baku, Azerbaijan

NewSpace Business Accelerator Program

An initiative realised jointly by Azercosmos and Social Innovation Lab, the NewSpace Business Accelerator Program aims to identify start-ups with ideas and products related to the space industry, provide them with the necessary support and resources to develop into sustainable businesses and access the market.

  • January 5 – June 13, 2019; venue – Azercosmos / the French-Azerbaijani University (UFAZ), Baku, Azerbaijan

TEKNOFEST Azerbaijan Aerospace and Technology Festival

Held in Azerbaijan for the first time in 2022, the TEKNOFEST Aerospace and Technology Festival is a large-scale event that greatly contributes to increasing the interest towards space technologies among the young generation and nurturing talent in this sphere. TEKNOFEST is also an important initiative that promotes the representation of Azerbaijani talent in international competitions related to aerospace and technology. The Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan held the “CanSat Satellite Modeling” and “Unmanned Aerial Vehicles” competitions within the framework of the festival, where various teams of bright students advanced through several stages and conducted actual flights. • 26-29 May 2022; venue – Baku Crystal Hall and Baku Boulevard

Country-Specific Space Event and Activities

World Space Week

Established by the declaration of the UN General Assembly in 1999, the World Space Week is held globally every year on October 4-10. It is dedicated to international celebration of space science and technology, as well as the acknowledgement of the role of space development in improving the quality of human life. Within its framework, a wide range of educational, outreach and other events around a specific topic declared in advance are held internationally, promoting inclusivity and cooperation in the field of space. As of 2022, Azercosmos is the national coordinator of the WSW for Azerbaijan.

Earth Observation Competition

The main purpose of the Earth Observation competition organised by our committed team since 2016 is to promote scientific activities, support socio-economic development in our country, and showcase the potential application of Earth Observation services and solutions in various fields. Anyone engaged in scientific research and above the age of 18 has the opportunity to participate in the competition, and there are no specific requirements regarding the field of work or experience of the participants.

Educational Sessions for Students

As part of the activities aimed at fostering the space community in Azerbaijan and inspiring the next space generation, educational sessions for students at local universities are being held continuously. Students across Azerbaijan universities are informed about new trends in the global space industry, the space history of country, the satellites and the plans for space industry development. What’s more, detailed information about the Space Generation Advisory Council and its activities, the World Space Week, and the International Astronautical Congress to be held in 2023 in Baku, Azerbaijan is also provided to the session participants. At the initial stage, more than 500 students from 9 universities joined the information sessions, while more such events are expected to be held in the coming future.

Educational Excursions

To raise awareness about space development in Azerbaijan and encourage the youth to learn, we frequently organise interactive excursions for schoolchildren and students. At our Main Satellite Ground Control Station, we guide participants through the history of our organisation, the development of Azerbaijan’s space industry, and the processes involved in satellite manufacturing, launch, and maintenance. They also get a chance to see how satellites are managed and operated in real-life. If you are interested in joining our excursions, please contact Ms. Nigar Kazimova at “[email protected]” or +994 12 310 00 55 (ext. 419).

 

Message to future members

We strive to create an inclusive and encouraging community of young people of Azerbaijan passionate about everything-space. Join our network to share your ideas with like-minded counterparts and make sure your voice gets heard. For detailed information, you may contact our National Points of Contact, Ali Mammadov and Nadir Atayev. To learn more about the emerging space ecosystem in Azerbaijan, please visit: Azercosmos, Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan