On September 26, 2018, the third Azerbaijani satellite Azerspace-2 was successfully launched into the orbit from the ELA-3 launch complex of Kourou Spaceport in the French Guiana.

The satellite is designed on the basis of highly reliable SSL 1300 satellite platform by the US-based company “Space Systems/Loral” (SSL). Azerspace-2 will provide highly-reliable broadband and broadcast solutions to its customers in Europe, Central and South Asia, the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa. The satellite will offer enhanced capacity, coverage and service offerings to support growing demand for network services of the public and private sectors in the region (source: businesswire.com).

Irada Bunyadova - UFAZ third-year Computer Science student, together with other five students from Azerbaijan (ADA University, National Aviation Academy, Moscow State University and etc.) and the representatives of Azercosmos were in the Kourou city of the French Guiana to personally witness the launch of the Azerspace-2 satellite. In order to participate in this trip, Irada and other interested students had to write a motivation letter, which was assessed by the UFAZ administration. Irada was an active volunteer during ActInSpace, international innovation contest, hosted by UFAZ on May 25-26, 2018.

Irada was one of the top scorers admitted to UFAZ with 675 SEC points. While studying at school, she participated in Physics Olympiad and made it to the finals. During summer 2018, she did an internship at the IT company - Idrak Technology Transfer.