IN-SPACe Model Rocketry/CANSAT India Student Competition 2024-25 to take place in Uttar Pradesh from October 27-30, 2025

The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), in association with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Astronautical Society of India (ASI), has announced the national-level Model Rocketry/CANSAT India Student Competition 2024-25, with the grand finale scheduled to take place on the banks of the Narayani River at Tumkuhiraj, Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, from October 27–30, 2025.

The competition aims to provide students with a hands-on experience in designing, development, and launch of a model rocket that can deploy CANSAT (7U SAT) of 1 kg at 1Km altitude meeting the defined mission objectives. This will provide students opportunity to simulate real-world space missions and will also contribute in nurturing the next generation of Indian space professionals.

A total of 71 student teams, comprising around 600 students, faculty members, and mentors, have qualified for the national finale, with 36 teams in the CANSAT category and 35 teams in Model Rocketry. Participants represent universities and technical institutions from across India.

As part of the outreach leading up to the competition, IN-SPACe along with ISRO had launched the ‘Art-in-Space’ and ‘Space Quiz 20:20’ contests across seven districts of Uttar Pradesh — Gorakhpur, Deoria, Kushinagar, Jaunpur, Bahraich, Bulandshahr, and Gautam Buddha Nagar, witnessing an overwhelming response from nearly 73,000 students. This contest is being executed by Namaskar Foundation. Additionally, to ignite deep interest in Science and Tech amongst the students an “Antariksh Rath” equipped with rockets, satellites, astronaut’s suits and educational models is spreading awareness amongst students. Winners from these contests will be felicitated at the grand finale and will also experience an immersive space habitat module at the event venue.

L–R) Hon’ble Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Shri Yogi Adityanath, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Deoria) Shri Shashank Mani, and Dr. Vinod Kumar, Director (Promotion Directorate), IN-SPACe.

Shri Shashank Mani, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Deoria said, “It is an honour to host the CANSAT Model Rocket Competition in the Tamkuhi Raj area of Deoria Lok Sabha in Kushinagar District. This competition will excite the imagination of the region and seed a culture of space awareness. It aligns with the mission of Amrit Prayas our 10 year developmental strategy for the Lok Sabha, which seeks to use space technology in this region.”

Speaking on the initiative, Dr. Vinod Kumar, Director, Promotion Directorate, IN-SPACe and Executive Secretary, ASI, said, “This competition reflects IN-SPACe’s commitment to fueling experiential learning and students' early engagement with space technology. By giving them real-world challenges to solve, we hope to build a strong foundation for India’s future scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who will contribute to our growing space economy. The support from the Uttar Pradesh government and Kushinagar district administration has been crucial in bringing this finale to life”

The competition’s mission objectives include the design, development, and launch of a model rocket and CANSAT carrying a 1 kg payload to an altitude of 1 km, followed by safe payload ejection, recovery, and landing. Through these challenges, students gain exposure to the fundamentals of rocketry, payload design, and mission management, along with key soft skills such as teamwork, project coordination, and problem-solving.

The Model Rocketry/CANSAT India Student Competition 2024-25 marks another step in IN-SPACe’s ongoing efforts to promote space education, skill development, and innovation at the grassroots level, aligning with the Government of India’s vision of building a self-reliant, $44 billion space economy by 2033.

IN-SPACe with ASI & ISRO Introduces Model Rocketry Competition for Students

The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-SPACe), in collaboration with the Astronautical Society of India (ASI) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), has launched the IN-SPACe Model Rocketry India Student Competition 2024-25 to create awareness and inspire technological talent in the field of rocketry among Indian students. This initiative supports the growth of a skilled STEM workforce with a specific emphasis on space technology.

The event, aimed at promoting innovation and technical expertise, has drawn participation from 86 student teams nationwide. After thorough evaluation and design reviews, 55 teams have advanced to attend the "Essentials of Model Rocketry Workshop," held in partnership with the Indian Air Force. The workshop is hosted at Air Force Station, Jalahalli (West), Bengaluru, from November 9 to 15, 2024.

The workshop was inaugurated by esteemed Chief Guest Padma Shri Dr. B N Suresh, Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST). Dr. Vinod Kumar, Director, PD, IN-SPACe, Executive Secretary ASI who has conceptualized the Model Rocketry Workshop and other nationwide student competitions briefed the gathering on the workshop curriculum and importance of Model Rocketry.

Participants from all over the country will get a chance to gain a deep understanding of the fundamental principles behind model rocket design, propulsion systems, deployment and separation mechanisms, and mission design from industry leaders and academia from ISRO, VSSC, NGEs and IIST.

The inaugural session was also graced by AVM Premkumar Krishnaswami VM VSM, Commandant of the Weapon Systems School; Air Cmde Santhosh KP Hegde, AOC, AFS, Jalahalli; and Gp Capt. Santhosh Kumar Vayakodan, CO, CTI, AFS, Jalahalli.

Dr. Vinod Kumar, Director, PD, IN-SPACe said, “This unique workshop will help to ignite the passion for space exploration among young people by giving them an insight into rocketry and space technology. The workshop has been envisioned to encourage children to learn and innovate through practical sessions. We believe that empowering these young innovators today will lead to their contributing to India's journey to a leadership position in the global space arena."

“As an Aerospace Combatant, I understand and recognize the importance of nurturing young minds for the future growth of space technologies. The aim of this workshop is to instill a culture of innovation and critical thinking, and inspire our youth to pursue a career in aerospace engineering, thereby contributing to our nation’s growth in this domain,” said Air Vice Marshal Premkumar Krishnaswamy.

This unique collaboration between IN-SPACe, ASI, ISRO, and the Air Force highlights India's commitment to building a new generation of space enthusiasts and Innovators.

About IN-SPACe:

Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) is an autonomous nodal agency under Department of Space, Government of India formed on 24 June 2020 to promote, enable, authorize and supervise non-government entities (NGE) to undertake space activities. These activities include manufacturing of launch vehicles and satellites, providing space-based services, establishing a ground station, sharing of space infrastructure & facilities; and establishing new facilities under DOS.

IN-SPACe is currently functioning with three directorates viz., Promotion Directorate (PD), Technical Directorate (TD) and Program Management and Authorization Directorate (PMAD) and Legal, Finance and Administration Wing with its headquarters at Ahmedabad.