Colchester County High School for Girls
A CanSat is a simulation of a real satellite, integrated within the volume and shape of a soft drink can. The challenge for the students is to fit all the major subsystems found in a satellite, such as power, sensors and a communication system, into this minimal volume.
Team Arcturus’s CanSat provides live second by second GPS and temperature readings via the 33 channel. This is then converted to data for analysis using our bespoke monitoring software.
The CanSat was printed in-house using 3D printing technologies. The FBX file was printed in two pieces to allow easy implementation of sensors and the Raspberry Pi Pico. The satellite also holds a parachute and various radio aerials.
Tracking CanSat is possible via our bespoke software that allows anybody to relive our adventure through timestamped data on our admin dashboard.
There are three main challenges for students competing in the CanSat competition:
To fit all major subsystems found in a satellite, including power, sensors and communications, into the volume and shape of a soft drink can.
To provide a parachute to ensure the can survives the landing.
To carry out scientific experiments and transmit in-flight data to an Earth-based computer.
What programming languages did we use to build our CanSat
Most common methods for designing websites that work well on desktop is responsive and adaptive design
Our team launch the CanSat
The Team Arcturus website goes live
All components added to CanSat
The team receive feedback on report two
Shereen - software programmer and in charge of coordination of all electrical components
Sangini - software programmer and in charge of hardware development
Inika - software programmer
Freya – software programmer and parachute designer
Eva - software programmer
Louisa – social media and outreach coordinator
Primary Mission:
To coordinate self-developed hardware and software to facilitate the obtaining and transmitting of in-flight data such as air temperature and pressure in the form of easily readable, real-time graphs during the CanSat’s descent.
To construct a parachute to ensure the safety of the electrical components in the can during landing and provide outreach on the project.
Secondary Mission:
Advanced telemetry – to map the CanSat’s altitude during launch and descent to plot onto corresponding pressure and air temperature graphs.
The CanSat will take measurements of the air temperature, air pressure and altitude to display the change in temperature and pressure in relation to altitude in a graph format and using a BMP180 Barometric Pressure/Temperature/Altitude Sensor. This will allow us to investigate the rate at which changes in altitude affect the temperature and pressure in the atmosphere.
The temperature and pressure sensor will be soldered onto the Raspberry Pi Pico and will hold programs that will enable the CanSat to detect the altitude so that temperature and pressure can be related to the location of the CanSat.
Due to GCSE exams, a final design has not yet been established, however, we are hoping to design a mechanism to deploy the parachute and reduce the effect of pressure and the landing on the circuitry in the can. Alternatively, we may try to utilise air resistance to keep the parachute compressed on the flight up and then deploy it as the CanSat descends.
Due to GCSE exams, a final design has not yet been established, however, we have soldered the BMP180 Barometric Pressure/Temperature/Altitude Sensor to the Pico to allow the CanSat to take measurements in-flight. We also plan to attach a radio transceiver to allow the data to be transmitted to the computer on the ground.
Due to GCSE exams, a final design has not yet been established, however so far, we have made progress on writing software on the Pico to control external components (such as LEDs) and ascertain the necessary data from the atmosphere that is required for the primary mission, and we are looking forward to converting transmitted data into user-friendly graphs by writing csv files. We are also in the process of writing the software to allow to radio transceiver to communicate with the Pico and ground computer.
We are currently in the process of determining the size and surface area of the parachute needed in proportion to the weight of the CanSat and factoring in and trialling different lightweight materials (such as nylon due to its wind resistance, good elasticity and strength) for the parachute and can in order to deliver the CanSat at the specified speed. We have been working closely with the physics department to obtain the corresponding weight and radius of the can and parachute to ensure that the forces acting on the can, once released, are in equilibrium.
We are still considering the release of the parachute and what mechanism we will have in place.
On the ground we will have laptops and devices to view transmitted data and plot it in real-time graphs. We also require an antenna in order to connect to the CanSat radio transceiver.
Over the next few weeks, we will be working on developing the software and corresponding hardware, such as soldering the transceiver. We will also be constructing the parachute and carrying out trials to ensure the strength of our designs.
During this time, we will also write the code for converting transmitted data into viewable graphs.
We are looking to gain external support or training in soldering electrical components in a circuit as we have the resources but not the knowledge needed.
At this point in time, we have not yet purchased the necessary materials to start building parachute and we still need to obtain some hardware components so we must continue designing and planning within the appropriate amount of time so enable us to be ready to launch a proper prototype.
To test the parachute, we will estimate the potential weight of the CanSat and launch an item of similar weight with the parachute attached. We will launch it several times from the same height and measure the speed. We will use an extra casing and increase the weigh to be approximately equal to the actual CanSat in order to get the most accurate results.
To test the pressure and temperature that the sensor is picking up, we have tested it in different environments and heights to ensure the data transmitted is accurate and valid. We will now test at different altitudes to confirm that the readings for our secondary mission are also correct.
We will create a website at the end of the project to publish our entire journey of this competition. This will allow other members of our community to learn with us and hopefully be inspired by our project.
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