“ Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars. ”
Norman Vincent Peale
A CanSat is a simulation of a real satellite, integrated within the volume and shape of a soft drink can.
The participants build a small satellite, with which they carry out different missions.
A possible internal layout of a CanSat is depicted on the following figure:
The participants of the competition should design every part of the satellite, including the power supply, sensors, a communication unit, and they have to build them with respect to the given conditions. There are several rules about e.g. the dimensions of the case, the mass of the satellite, or about other important parameters. This can be considered as a challenge.
The CanSat is then launched to an altitude of ca. 1.000 metres by a rocket.
In the rocket the CanSat will be placed similar as follows (the CanSat on the following picture has been made with a different internal layout):
The launch is going to be the same or very similar as on the following figure:
Technological challenge
Build your own satellite to the specifications. Attach your sensors and solve the radio connection and data collection!
Teamwork experience
You work with your mates to overcome challenging problems and nerve-racking technical difficulties
International competition
The winner of the national competition will have the opportunity to compete against the very best teams of Europe at the next round.
New people, new friendships
During the competitions you will have the chance to meet like-minded individuals from high schools and universities.
The task for the teams is to communicate in real-time with their CanSats, do measurements (measuring temperature and pressure is obligatory) with the satellite, then land with it under safe conditions. During the competition the teams also have to present the results of their measurements.
Download the 2020 CanSat Competition Guidelines for full eligibility criteria, rules and other important information.
Further details about the competition can be found on CanSat website of ESA, and more information about CanSats on the ESA What is a Cansat? webpage.
HunSat was the first CanSat team from Hungary.
They won a technical special prize at the 2018 ESA CanSat Competition for their extremely reliable CanSat.
GRLSat represented Hungary at the 2019 ESA CanSat Competition.
They performed well at the competition with their biological experiment.
The 2020 Competition was organized by the BME Cosmos Society.
You can find out more about the organisers here.
The Hungarian Astronautical Society and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade also participated in the implementation of the Competition.