Ten students from the Buenos Aires Institute of Technology (ITBA) achieved fifth place in the final of the CanSat Competition 2026, sponsored by NASA. The competition took place in Virginia, United States, and brought together teams from 40 universities that had to design, build, and operate a satellite prototype.
ITBA was the only representative from Latin America to rank in the Top 5, behind teams from Thailand, Indonesia, and the United States.
Outstanding Track Record
The Argentine group had already achieved outstanding results in previous editions:
- 2024: fifth place.
- 2025: first place.
- 2026: again fifth place.
“It is a result that shows that our organization, SEDS ITBA, as well as Argentine engineering and our university, consistently stand out,” said Emanuel Agustín Albornoz, team leader.
Technical and Logistical Challenges
The competition requires designing a device capable of meeting objectives during launch, controlled descent, and data recovery. The students faced several challenges:
- Descent Paraglider: they had to deploy it in mid-flight, without prior experience in aerospace engineering.
- Manufacturing and Logistics: shipping times from Argentina were long and costs high, which required planning months in advance.
- Unexpected Issues in the Final: an error burned the satellite’s microcontroller, but they managed to replace it in time thanks to a quick purchase and resoldering in the United States.
The 2026 Mission
The challenge was more complex than in previous years:
- Launch the satellite to 1,000 meters in height.
- Achieve a controlled descent.
- Deploy a paraglider for 80% of the journey.
- Navigate to a specific point.
- Protect an egg that had to arrive intact.
- Transmit telemetry and maintain communication with the ground station.
Additionally, the team made a significant technical leap: they stopped using commercial modules and began to design and manufacture their own electronic systems, optimizing weight and performance.
Interdisciplinary Work
The team was composed of students from different fields:
- Mechanical Engineering: Clara Müller, Ignacio Ferrando Bravo, Federico Agustín Pilotto, and Nazareno Germán Pierri.
- Electronic Engineering: Nicanor Otamendi, Juan Manuel Sambucetti, Emanuel Agustín Albornoz, and Matteo Ginhson.
- Computer Engineering: Jaime Nazar Anchorena.
- Industrial Engineering: Nicolás Eyaralar.
The interdisciplinary dynamic replicated methodologies typical of professional aerospace projects.
Impact and Future
The achievement coincided with the ITBA Future Day, where students shared their experience with future students. The academic community celebrated the result as an example of innovation and resilience in the face of logistical and technical challenges.
The Argentine participation in the CanSat Competition reaffirms the ability of its students to compete on the global stage and positions ITBA as a regional leader in technological and space education.
ITBA’s fifth place in the CanSat Competition 2026 is more than a result: it is the confirmation that Argentine engineering can rise to the great international challenges.
With creativity, teamwork, and perseverance, the students demonstrated that national science and technology have a place in space exploration.
