The "Smart materials" team from the G.V. Kurdyumov Institute of Metal Physics of the NAS of Ukraine entered the top five teams in the world at the international final of the prestigious space hackathon ActInSpace2026, held in Bordeaux (France), and presented their own innovative solutions in the field of space technologies.
ActInSpace is one of the largest international innovation competitions, initiated by the French Space Agency CNES with the support of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the ESA business incubator network. The sixth competition involved teams from over 100 cities on five continents. A distinctive feature of the competition is the opportunity for researchers to work on real patents from CNES and ESA, turning scientific inventions into business solutions for space and terrestrial industries.
The team from the G.V. Kurdyumov Institute of Metal Physics of the NAS of Ukraine, consisting of Deputy Director Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Heorhii Firstov, Head of the Project and Innovation Activity Group Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Vira Filatova, Senior Researcher Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Halyna Mykhailova, and leading engineers Viacheslav Slipchenko and Anton Filatov, presented a solution within the CNES task "Deployment of Hope: Universal Solutions for Earth and Beyond." The proposed development is a self-deploying antenna using innovative shape memory alloys. The organizers noted the high level of scientific preparation of the Ukrainian group and the potential for practical application of the proposed materials.
As the national winner from Ukraine, the team advanced to the Grand International Final, where they competed with four other semifinal winners. The final brought together the five best teams out of 23, representing 29 countries and 58 cities worldwide. According to the jury's decision, the victory was won by the "INTERSTELLAR" team from Senegal.
At the same time, the event became an important platform for establishing international contacts and developing partnerships – the Institute's team held professional meetings with representatives of the French Space Agency (CNES), the Way4space Space Cluster, and the Telecom Valley Association.
"Such events are excellent platforms for turning ideas into real partnerships. Our true reward is new valuable connections," the scientists emphasize.
The team also expressed gratitude to the organizers and partners of the hackathon, as well as to the Ukrainian servicemen, thanks to whom Ukrainian scientists have the opportunity to work and present their developments at the international level.
According to information from the G.V. Kurdyumov Institute of Metal Physics
