The ‘UIU ASCEND’ team from United International University (UIU) has made the country proud by securing 2nd place in Asia and 7th place in the world at the prestigious CanSat Competition 2025. The event, organized by the American Astronautical Society (AAS), was held from June 5 to 8 in Virginia, USA.
This marks a remarkable improvement for the team, as they had previously secured 3rd place in Asia and 11th position globally in the 2024 edition of the same competition.
The CanSat Competition is an annual student design-build-launch event for space-related projects. Participating teams are required to build a satellite capsule that can be launched and deployed at an altitude between 670 to 725 meters. The capsule then carries out a series of tasks, including deployment and landing sequences, to simulate a real satellite mission. The competition is supported by major global organizations, including NASA, the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Siemens, and others.
This year, a total of 34 teams from 17 countries including the USA, UK, Turkey, Germany, Taiwan, Argentina, India, Malaysia, and Canada took part in the grand final. Three teams from Bangladesh participated in the final round, with UIU achieving the highest position among them.
The UIU ASCEND team successfully passed all preliminary tests before reaching the finals. Their outstanding performance not only placed them among the top teams globally but also brought significant pride to the country and their institution.
Faculty members and students of UIU have expressed their joy over this achievement, saying it is a testament to the talent and potential of young engineers and innovators from Bangladesh. The achievement has once again showcased the capability of Bangladeshi students on the world stage.
