The CanSat project
CanSat Belgium offers young people a first hands-on immersion into the field of space by inviting them to design and build a CanSat, a miniature satellite contained in a 33-cl can. Students are responsible for the entire project: defining the mission, designing and assembling the satellite, testing it, launching it, and analysing the collected data. Each team carries out a primary mission (measuring pressure, temperature, and altitude, transmitting the data, and ensuring a safe landing) as well as a free secondary mission focused on an experiment or a technical challenge.
The launch is performed using a rocket that propels the CanSat to several hundred metres in altitude and allows the can to reach a maximum speed of 550 km/h, thus providing conditions similar to those encountered during real space missions.
The project also places strong emphasis on communication. Students are encouraged to present, explain, and promote their project to other young people.
JUICE
JUICE is the name of our team. It referes to an ESA previous mission
We're four seniors at Decroly school. Driven by a strong interest for sciences, teamwork, communication and self-improvement, we chose to participate in the CanSat Belgium program.
For our secondary mission, we decided to focus on biology, a scientific field that particularly interests us and that we aim to explore throughout this project
The secondary mission of JUICE
Collection of microorganisms present in the landing area using a sterilized laboratory foam.
Our secondary mission consists of studying the presence of micro-organisms in the soil at the landing site, using a passive sampling system combined with delayed observation.
Before launch, we will place a sterilized laboratory foam inside the CanSat. At the base of the satellite, we will place a propeller that will only function when the CanSat lands. Inside the CanSat ,we will install electromagnets that will be activated during the flight using electrical power. These electromagnets will keep a flap closed, preventing air from entering the sterile environment.
Upon landing, the electromagnets will be deactivated, causing the flap to open. The propeller will then start operating, allowing outside air with soil particles and the micro-organisms present to pass through a funnel leading to the culture medium.
We will recover the cansat, we will put the foam on a sterile gel in a Petry dish and the collected micro-organisms will begin to grow on the gel. We will then observe the colonies that have formed.
Innovating aspects of our secondary mission
- Presence of life or not, and if so, observing its evolution.
- It introduces a biological dimension into a project mainly focused on engineering and physics.
-Complex assembly and organization due to the presence of different system such as the propeller, the funnel , electromagnets, etc
- This simulates conditions similar to those encountered in certain space or Martian missions.
-This mission raises awareness of the microbial richness of soils, often overlooked but essential to life on Earth.
JUICE's team
Team of teachers helping us throughout the project:
- Francois Delvin ( biologie teacher)
-Jean Luc Ottinger ( physics teacher)
- Brieuc Delanghe and Sophie Derudder ( english teachers)
Upcoming
- 7/1: type 1 workshop (team only)
-9/1: support session
-14/1: type 1 workshop
- 18/1: draft of the progress rapport
-21/1: final version of the progress rapport
-21/1: type 1 workshop
-11/2: support session 2
