Future space-sector leaders from the University of Surrey compete in global 24-hour space hackathon at Surrey Research Park

Students from the University of Surrey were among the 75 aspiring space entrepreneurs to take part in the UK heat of ActInSpace 2026, a global 24-hour fast-paced challenge hosted at Surrey Research Park and backed by the European Space Agency (ESA), the French Space Agency (CNES) and several global industry partners.

The event was a high-pressure, high-reward opportunity for University of Surrey students to build skills, grow confidence, and test ideas in a real-world setting, while connecting with the global ActInSpace community.

This was the first time Surrey hosted the UK heat of this event, giving participants direct exposure to space sector senior leaders based at the Park and valuable insight into career opportunities on their doorstep.

The University of Surrey had several teams recognised by judges for innovation across a range of real-world challenges. 

Team DesignInDefence were awarded delegate packages to attend next month’s SpaceComm show in London, the UK’s largest space conference, giving the team access to networking and industry insights.

Event Horizon was awarded a tour of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) to deepen exposure to real-world Earth observation programmes.

Team TBD, who created a business concept based on modular manufacturing for lunar operations, was awarded a visit to the national space facilities at Harwell.

And Team OpenOrbit Labs won six-months’ business incubation at SETsquared Surrey, based at Surrey Research Park, reflecting the judges’ view that the team’s concept has strong potential for development into a viable business. The team’s idea focused on real-time detection of space debris, addressing a growing need for protecting space assets.

OpenOrbit Lab’s Milad Albagul, a PhD Researcher at the University of Surrey, said: "This was my first ActInSpace and I really enjoyed the experience of entrepreneurship and linking that to the space industry. It was so exciting to solve real-world problems. The increased demand for Low Earth satellites will create new problems out there, and it’s an exciting opportunity to come up with innovative solutions and ideas to solve some of the biggest problems in space.”

The Overall Winners

The overall winning team was IRONSTAR (Pietro De Rigo Piter, Vasil Pachedzhiev and Sundaresh Sundaragopal) from University College London (UCL) who impressed judges with a concept proposing a new approach to pricing space debris risk to help protect space assets.

As UK heat winners, the team is now a step closer to a zero-gravity flight and the chance to help launch a new space start-up based on their idea. They will represent the UK at the global finals in Bordeaux in April.

Showcasing Surrey's Space Expertise on the Global Stage

This weekend’s UK heat also showcased the depth of expertise across Surrey’s wider space ecosystem and the strength of collaboration made possible through the University’s role within the Space South Central cluster – the UK’s largest regional space cluster.

Across the weekend, teams were supported by mentors and specialists from the University of Surrey and Surrey Research Park’s cutting-edge space business community, including Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), as they developed real-world solutions to unsolved challenges in the space sector.

Dr Chris Bridges, Associate Professor at the University of Surrey’s Surrey Space Centre, helped teams get off to a flying start with practical guidance and sector insights. Members of the University’s Business School also provided support on business strategy.  

At the end of the 24 hours, teams pitched to a panel of experts from industry and academia, including Professor Lisa Collins, Pro Vice Chancellor, Research and Innovation, and Professor Adam Amara, who serves as both Chief Scientist at the UK Space Agency and Founding Director of the Surrey Space Institute.