DOHA, Qatar, June 17, 2026 - More than 180 Grade 8 students at Qatar Academy Doha, member of Qatar Foundation, took part in the CubeSat Explorer Challenge — a hands-on learning experience organized by Boeing [NYSE: BA], INJAZ Qatar and Pure Minds Academy to spark early interest in space, satellite technology and other STEM careers.
“This program didn’t just introduce students to space – it brought space to them. It’s no longer a distant concept, but an accessible, exciting career path they can pursue and build here in Qatar”, said Wael Zaoud, Boeing managing director for the Middle East and North Africa. “Qatar is steadily expanding its space capabilities and creating opportunities for the next generation of engineers and researchers. As a company that helped put the first human on the Moon, Boeing is proud to support young talent who will shape Qatar’s aerospace industry.”
The CubeSat Explorer Challenge introduced school students to the role satellites play in modern economies. Working in teams, students designed and built miniature satellite prototypes equipped with environmental sensors, programmed microcontrollers, collected live data and presented their findings. Through the experience, students gained insight into how satellite technologies support decision-making in areas such as air quality monitoring and climate research.
Ahead of the student challenge, Pure Minds Academy delivered a dedicated teacher training program at Qatar Academy Doha, equipping educators to confidently implement the curriculum in their classrooms.
“This was a wonderful opportunity for our students to experience one of our core school values — innovation — in action”, said Andrew Powell, Qatar Academy Doha associate director. “Through this hands-on engineering experience, students explored how creativity, data and scientific inquiry can be used to solve real-world problems. It was inspiring to see them think like engineers, collaborate as problem-solvers and develop the skills needed to become future innovators and leaders who will contribute to Qatar’s continued growth and success”.
“At INJAZ Qatar, we believe that inspiring young people to explore emerging fields such as space technology is essential to building a future-ready workforce”, said Emad Al Khaja, chief executive officer of INJAZ Qatar. “The CubeSat Explorer Challenge provided students with a unique opportunity to apply STEM concepts in a practical and engaging way, fostering critical thinking, innovation and problem-solving skills. We are proud to collaborate with Boeing and Pure Minds Academy to empower the next generation of innovators and support Qatar’s vision for a knowledge-based economy”.
“We are excited to bring the CubeSat Explorer Challenge to Qatar. The event sparked curiosity about space among students as they learned how to tackle real-world problems with satellite technologies”, said Shubhangi Singh, partner and head of institute at Pure Minds Academy.
The CubeSat Explorer Challenge builds on Boeing’s longstanding collaboration with INJAZ Qatar and Pure Minds Academy to promote STEM learning among young people. Over the years, Boeing, INJAZ Qatar and Pure Minds Academy have reached 1,200 students through various STEM challenges and robotics workshops at schools in Qatar.
Qatar continues to expand its presence in the space sector through investments in satellite communications, digital infrastructure and local expertise. The country operates two communications satellites and is advancing research and development at academic institutions, fostering an innovative space ecosystem aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030.
