In Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, a dedicated group at the Kyrgyz Space Program is intently focused on buildingtheir nation’s first-ever satellite and prepping it for a 2019 mission. The surprise: the team consists of roughly a dozenyoung women between the ages of 17 and 25 — and Kyrgyz Space Program is the name they’ve given themselves.Kyrgyzstan is a sparsely populated country in the mountains of Central Asia whose economy is based on agricultureand mining; more than 30 percent of people here live below the poverty line. And it’s not one of the 72 countries withan official space agency.And yet, in March 2018, journalist Bektour Iskender (a TED Fellow) olaunched a free courseto teach girls and young women how to build a satellite. “Women in our country are physically and spiritually strong.All we need is to believe in ourselves and get external support,” says Kyzzhibek, a 23-year-old on the team. “The misof this program is not just about learning how to make and launch a satellite. It’s just as important to be a role model forgirls afraid to explore and discover their talents.”

to build a satellite. “Women in our country are physically and spiritually strong.All we need is to believe in ourselves and get external support,” says Kyzzhibek, a 23-year-old on the team. “The misof this program is not just about learning how to make and launch a satellite. It’s to build a satellite. “Women in our couAll we need is to believe in ourselves and get external support,” says Kyzzhibek, a 23-year-old on the team. “The misof this program is not just about learning how to make and launch a satellite. It’s