Three teams from St Peter’s School, consisting of 12 talented 3rd-year ESO students, have qualified for the regional phase of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) CanSat competition. The Arduinex, Icarus, and DrinkUp teams participated in the competition on April 29 at Alguaire de Lleida airport, where they designed, built, and programmed a microsatellite the size of a soda can and launched it inside a rocket.
The teams’ primary mission was to measure atmospheric pressure, ambient temperature, and height, using the sensors incorporated in the microsatellite. In addition, they also had the mission of improving the microsatellite’s geolocation system and optimizing radio frequency data acquisition, especially during the recovery phase. This complex project required months of preparation for the participating students, involving a diverse range of skills such as mathematics, science, programming, 3D printing, and aerospace engineering.
Despite facing obstacles, such as the rocket not opening during launch, causing the microsatellites to plummet, some teams successfully recovered their prototypes and collected the mission data. The launch demonstrated the dedication and involvement required from both students and teachers to accomplish such an ambitious project.
We are proud to announce that two teams, Arduinex and Icarus, from St Peter’s School, successfully passed the launch, and Arduinex members were invited to present the results achieved during the mission on May 3 at the Polytechnic University of Terrassa. The CanSat competition aims to spark youth interest in science and technology by simulating a real satellite with a mini-satellite the size of a soda can and launching it more than 600 meters high with a rocket.
We congratulate the teams on their impressive achievement and wish them all the best in the upcoming phases of the competition. It is inspiring to see young minds passionate about exploring the depths of space and pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the field of science and technology.
