China plans to launch its first satellite completely designed and built by middle school students in 2017.

With a cubic structure and a weight of 10 kilograms, the low-orbit satellite will be able to facilitate two-way communication with the ground and help students carry out experiments.

Middle school students from several schools, including the Beijing Bayi School, participated in the design, construction and testing of the satellite under the guidance of space scientists.

"The next step is to invite more middle school students to design and build rockets,” said Zhou Xiubin, Deputy Director of the China Aerospace Talent Development Center.

The country marked its first National Space Day on Sunday, an occasion meant to celebrate China’s achievements in space. The day saw a range of events across the country, including tours of launch facilities, research institutes, flight control centers and even tracking ships. There were also a number of space-related lectures.