KOSTKA Has Reached Orbit: The Mission Begins

A Historic Day for the Mission

On July 7, 2026, KOSTKA successfully began its journey in space.

After years of development, countless hours of testing, and months of final preparations, our satellite was launched aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter-17 rideshare mission from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Less than an hour after liftoff, KOSTKA was successfully deployed into low Earth orbit, marking the start of the mission we have worked towards for years.

For our team, launch day was the culmination of an extraordinary journey. What started as an ambitious student project gradually evolved into a fully operational satellite mission. Watching KOSTKA leave Earth aboard Falcon 9 was a moment that many team members had imagined countless times during the design, development, integration, and testing phases. Seeing it finally become reality was both surreal and unforgettable.

From the Launch Pad to Orbit

The Transporter-17 mission carried dozens of payloads into space, with KOSTKA among them. Following a successful ascent and deployment sequence, the satellite was released into its planned orbit around Earth.

The deployment marked the official beginning of KOSTKA's operational phase. While launch is often the most visible milestone of a space mission, it is only the first step in a much longer process. Once separated from the rocket, the satellite had to begin operating independently in one of the most challenging environments imaginable.

With KOSTKA safely in orbit, the responsibility shifted entirely to the mission team on the ground.

First Contact with the Satellite

Shortly after deployment, KOSTKA began executing its initial onboard procedures and preparing for communication opportunities with ground stations.

The first telemetry packets received from orbit confirmed that the satellite was alive and operating as expected. For every space mission, first contact is one of the most anticipated moments, and KOSTKA was no exception.

Receiving data directly from a spacecraft that was only hours earlier sitting inside a launch vehicle is a feeling that is difficult to describe. It confirmed that years of work, testing, and preparation had successfully translated into a functioning satellite in orbit.

With communication established, the team could begin assessing the health of onboard systems and gathering the first operational data from space.

Entering the Commissioning Phase

Now orbiting Earth approximately every 95 minutes, KOSTKA passes over ground stations multiple times each day. During each pass, the satellite transmits telemetry data that allows operators to monitor its condition and performance.

The coming weeks are focused on what is known as the commissioning phase—the period during which all major systems are gradually verified and tested in orbit. This stage is essential for confirming that the spacecraft behaves as expected outside the controlled environment of laboratories and testing facilities.

Every successful communication pass provides new information about the satellite's status and helps the team prepare for future mission activities. The data gathered during this phase will also contribute to evaluating the performance of technologies carried onboard.

Turning Years of Preparation into Real Operations

For many members of the team, the mission has already achieved something remarkable. KOSTKA has transformed from sketches, simulations, and prototypes into an operational spacecraft orbiting hundreds of kilometres above Earth.

The project demanded expertise across a wide range of disciplines, including electronics, software development, systems engineering, communications, testing, mission planning, and operations. Countless hours were invested in overcoming technical challenges, refining designs, and ensuring that every subsystem was ready for launch.

Now, the focus shifts from building the satellite to operating it. Instead of preparing hardware on the ground, the team is managing a real spacecraft and analysing real data arriving directly from orbit.

What Comes Next?

Although reaching orbit is a major milestone, the mission itself is only beginning.

In the coming weeks and months, the team will continue monitoring KOSTKA's health, performing operational tests, and collecting data from the spacecraft. Each successful pass over the ground station will provide new insights into how the satellite performs in the harsh environment of space.

The mission will continue to generate valuable operational experience, technical knowledge, and lessons that can support future student-led space projects. Every transmission received from orbit contributes to a growing body of experience that will help shape the next generation of Czech student space missions.

The Beginning of a New Chapter

As we continue to process the reality of seeing KOSTKA successfully orbiting Earth, our team is already hard at work preparing the next stages of the mission.

The launch was a historic moment, but it was never the final destination. It was the beginning.

KOSTKA is now where it was always meant to be—orbiting our planet, transmitting data back to Earth, and proving that ambitious ideas can become reality through dedication, teamwork, and perseverance.

The journey to space has been extraordinary. The journey in space has only just begun.

Stay tuned for future mission updates as we continue to share milestones, experiments, and discoveries from orbit.