What sets Generation Z apart from other generations? What drives today’s youth, and what keeps them awake at night? No one can tell us better than Gen Z themselves. That's why we are portraying 24 students from Radboud University. In this episode: student of Mathematics and particle and astrophysics Sam van den Ende (24) would, together wit a fellow student, like to start a company that carries out small project in space.

‘Last academic year, I spent from 80 to 100 hours a week on Rexus/Bexus, a joint programme of the Swedish, German and European space organisations. All I did was sleep and work on our rocket. Even at Christmas, we were working in the lab.

The highlight of the project was a two-week trip to northern Sweden last March. There, our team shot a rocket into space to collect data. We studied how to best track the rocket in flight. We also studied cosmic rays in the atmosphere, but because our radiation detector was not quite properly calibrated, it was only partially successful.

We hardly had any free time in Sweden, but during a car ride we were lucky enough to spot a few reindeer and moose. After getting back, I presented a paper in Switzerland with another student. After that, we took it easy for a while. Now we’re once again doing data analysis.

I probably learned more at Rexus/Bexus than I did during my studies. We built everything ourselves, including circuit boards, which you don’t learn about at a theoretical university like ours. I also learned how to manage a team and post on social media.

In future, together with a fellow student, I would like to start a company that carries out small projects in space. At ESA, you work on one specific part of a satellite; having your own company gives you more freedom. I hope it works out!’