2026 Latin American CubeSat Workshop
When
March 15-17, 2026
Where
Flrorianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil
The Latin American CubeSat Workshop (LACW) is the main forum in Latin America for discussing
scientific and technological advances in the CubeSat and small satellite field.
For the past years, the event has brought together researchers, students, industry professionals,
and space agencies to strengthen collaboration and foster innovation across the region.
The 2026 edition will take place in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil,
hosted by UFSC, at the
Jurerê Beach Village.
This year, LACW will be organized jointly with the
Latin American Test Symposium (IEEE LATS 2026),
creating a unique opportunity to connect the space engineering community with specialists in testing,
reliability, and component qualification.
The main theme of LACW 2026 will be
“Test and Systems Engineering”.
The workshop will emphasize the challenges of verification and validation of space systems,
and how different teams across Latin America are implementing (or struggling to implement) these processes.
Discussions will address how CubeSat projects in the region are planning and executing tests, what facilities
and laboratories are accessible for environmental and functional verification, which organizations provide
certifications recognized by international launch providers, and how commercial or automotive components (COTS)
can be adapted for space applications when access to space-qualified parts is limited.
By bringing together the LACW and LATS communities, this edition will stimulate discussions on how to increase
the reliability and credibility of Latin American missions,
bridging the gap between academic research, industry practices, and the requirements of international launch providers.
The event is organized by a technical and scientific committee of researchers from different institutions across Latin America,
with the support of their organizations.
The Latin American CubeSat Workshop is a unique opportunity to strengthen the
“New Space” ecosystem in Latin America, promoting dialogue between academia, industry, and government,
and bringing developers and researchers closer to the end users of CubeSat technology.
Keynote Speakers
Important Dates
Extended abstract submission
10 January 2026
Acceptance notification
31 January 2026
Full paper submission deadline
15 February 2026
Camera ready
28 February 2026
Tutorial proposal
10 January 2026
Call for Papers
The authors are invited to submit their works in Cubesat related subjects including but not limited to:
- Cubesat missions
- Cubesat constellations
- In-orbit demonstrations and flight experiences
- Embedded systems (hardware & software)
- Reliability and fault tolerance
- Assembly, Integration and Verification
- Telecommunication and ground segment
- Deep space missions
- Launch opportunities
- Attitude and Orbit Control Systems
- System engineering
- Space education
- Space regulations
Manuscripts will be reviewed by Scientific Committee members, and will be accepted according to the quality and originality of the work and/or ideas. Submissions that are based on experimental results, current data, or reports on ongoing missions are especially encouraged. During the reviewing process, the works will be selected for presentation in oral or poster sessions, according to their relevance.
It is recommended to proof read the paper before submission.
All papers must be written in English and submitted online as explained next.
👉 FIRST STEP - ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
- January 10, 2026 - Tutorial proposal: The tutorial proposal must be sent by email to Eduardo.Bezerra@ufsc.br (there is no template)
- January 10, 2026 - Extended abstract: The extended abstract (max 500 words) must be submitted through the following form: https://forms.gle/Qx7uCsFNtCe4Npv1A
- January 31, 2026 - Acceptance notification: The members of the Scientific Committee will review the submitted abstracts, and will recommend their acceptance or not. In case of acceptance, the authors will be invited to submit the full paper version.
👉 SECOND STEP - FULL PAPER SUBMISSION (AFTER THE "ABSTRACT ACCEPTANCE")
- February 15, 2026 - Full paper: The full paper must be submitted through the following form:
The full paper must be between 8 to 10 pages. The template for preparing the final version is available next.
- February 28, 2026 - Camera ready
Please note that the presenting author of each accepted paper has to register to the event.
Available templates:
- Microsoft Word: A4 (docx, 30 KB)
- LaTeX Instructions: (PDF, 63 KB) [Be sure to use the template's conference mode.]
- LaTeX Template: (ZIP, 700 KB)
- LaTeX Bibliography Files: (ZIP, 309 KB)
- Overleaf: https://www.overleaf.com/gallery/tagged/ieee-official
- Poster: Poster boards will accommodate A0 size portrait posters, i.e., height 1189 mm (46.8 inches), width 841 mm (33.1 inches).
Please, follow the link next to submit your paper (click on the paper submission logo):
The conference's working language is English.
Presentation guidelines
- Each presenter will have up to 15 minutes to present their work, and to answer questions from the audience. It means around 10 to 12 minutes for presenting the work, and the remaining couple of minutes for discussion with the audience.
- Presentation of all papers must be in English.
- Projector, microphone and computer will be available in the room.
- Please bring your presentation on USB flash drive, as we cannot guarantee software compatibility, you are kindly requested to bring your presentation in your desired format but also please in PDF format.
- Files can be uploaded to the local computer in the lecture room during the breaks between the sessions.
Awards
The LACW holds an awards ceremony at every conference to recognize the top three professional papers and the top three student papers. The best paper in each category receives a trophy and a special gift in appreciation of their contribution to the CubeSat research community.
Word to Overleaf Converter
Converting a Word (.docx) file to Overleaf
You can convert a Word document into LaTeX using Pandoc or an online converter.
Option A — Use an Online Tool (Easiest)
- Go to https://www.docx2latex.com or https://pandoc.online
- Upload your .docx
- Download the generated .zip or .tex file
- Import the file into Overleaf
This usually works well for:
- Text
- Titles
- Basic formatting
But tables/figures may need cleanup.
Schedule
Publication
The conference proceedings will be published in the TBC.
Pricing & Registration
Organizing Committee
General Chair
Eduardo Augusto Bezerra, UFSC, Brazil
Program chair
TBD, TBD, TBD
Tutorial chair
Damylle Cristina Xavier Donati, SENAI/CIMATEC, Brazil
Space education chair
Paolo Gessini, UnB/AEB, Brazil
Radiation Effects chair
Marcilei Guazzelli, FEI, Brazil
Test & Simulation co-chairs
Fátima Mattiello, INPE, Brazil
Ana Maria Ambrosio, Omega7, Brazil
Diversity initiatives chair
Maria Cecília Pereira de Faria, UFMG, Brazil
Industrial Liason
Marcelo Essado, EMSISTI, Brazil
Otávio Durão, CRON, Brazil
Dherik França, UFMA/ASB, Brazil
Eugênio Preza, EP.Space BR/ASB, Brazil
Local arrangements
Fernanda Paiva de Morais, UFSC, Brazil
Rebecca Quintino do O, UFSC, Brazil
Scientific Committee (past edition, 2024. 2026 - TBD )
Anderson Wedderhoff Spengler, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil
André Pierre Mattei, SENAI-PE Institute of Innovation (ISI-TICs), Brazil
Antônio Carlos de Oliveira Pereira Junior, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Brazil
Antônio Fernando Bertachini, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Brazil
Carlos Alberto Rios Brito Jr., Universidade Federal do Maranhão (UFMA), Brazil
Cesar Augusto Missio Marcon, PUCRS, Brazil
Cezar Rigo, Embraer, Brazil
Edemar Morsch Filho, UNESP, Brazil
Ediz Cetin, Macquarie University, Australia
Eduardo Escobar Burger, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Brazil
Fabian Luis Vargas, Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics (IHP), Germany
Fábio Armelin, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Brazil
Fabrício Kucinskis, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Brazil
Felipe Viel, UFSC / Univali, Brazil
Geilson Loureiro, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Brazil
Geraldo Magela Couto Oliveira, Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Minas Gerais (CEFET-MG), Brazil
Gabriel Mariano Marcelino, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil
Jarbas Aryel Nunes da Silveira, Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Brazil
João Baptista dos Santos Martins, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Brazil
Laio Oriel Seman, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil
Luís Eduardo Vergueiro Loures da Costa, Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica (ITA), Brazil
Manoel Jozeane Mafra de Carvalho, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Brazil
Marcelo Tosin, UEL, Brazil
Marcia Alvarenga dos Santos, Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), Brazil
Maria Cecilia P. Faria, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil
Moisés Cirilo de Brito Souto, Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN), Brazil
Otavio Santos Cupertino Durão, CRON Sistemas e Tecnologias, Brazil
Paolo Gessini, Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), Brazil
Paulo Ricardo Cechelero Villa, Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (IFRS), Brazil
Renato Alves Borges, Universidade de Brasília (UnB), Brazil
Rodrigo Leonardi, Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), Brazil
Ronnie Nader, Ecuadorian Space Agency (EXA), Ecuador
Rosa Ma. Del Refugio Ramírez De Arellano Y Haro, Mexican Space Agency (AEM), Mexico
Rui Policarpo Duarte, Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa (ISEL), Portugal
Tatiana Ribeiro Viana, International Italo Latinomerican Organization (IIILA), Italy
Victor Hugo Schulz, Kyushu Institute of Technology (KYUTECH), Japan
Walter Abrahão dos Santos, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), Brazil
Xisto Lucas Travassos Junior, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil
Steering Committee
Latin American Cubesat Workshop
Eduardo Augusto Bezerra
Rodrigo Leonardi
Location and Venue
Jurere Beach Village, Florianopolis, SC, Brazil
Venue
The workshop will take place at Jurere Beach Village
Address: Alameda César Nascimento, 646 - Jurerê, Florianópolis - SC, 88053-500, BRAZIL
Accomodation
We have established a partnership with the accommodation hotel that will also host the event. Workshop participants who choose to stay at this hotel will receive special discount coupons. This partnership ensures convenient access to the conference venue and comfortable accommodations for all attendees.
Partner Hotel:
Jurerê Beach Village
Website: https://www.jurerebeachvillage.com.br/
Address: Alameda César Nascimento, 646 - Jurerê, Florianópolis - SC, 88053-500
Jurerê Beach Village is a hotel located in Jurerê Internacional, offering beachfront accommodations with complete facilities and services.
Organization and institutional support