What is CanSat?

CanSat is a competition hosted by ESERO, with the help of the Europe Space Association (ESA), the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) and NEMO, where students from all over the Netherlands make their own can satellite (CanSat) to compete, by writing reports and building the actual satellite. The 10 teams deemed best get to actually launch their CanSat.

A CanSat is a simulation of a real satellite, integrated within the volume and shape of a regular soft drink can. The challenge for the students is to fit all the major subsystems found in a satellite such as power and communications into a soda can of 6,6 cm x 6,6 cm x 11,5 cm. After release from a rocket or a captive balloon the CanSat has to perform a certain mission and land safety on the ground. 

A CanSat competition offers the opportunity for high school students to have a first experience of a real space mission starting with design, through integration, testing, launching, data analysis and presentation of results. It is also a good platform for developing skills, both general (e.g. scientific enquiry, technical design, data analysis and presentation, teamwork) and practical (e.g. soldering, building electronics, software programming, testing).