Students are being encouraged to build and launch their own mini-satellite, but for a very good reason! 

 

The European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO) Ireland and the CEIA – Cork’s Technology Network – want secondary school students to take their first step into the world of space exploration through their CanSat competition. 

 

Teams of senior cycle students from across Ireland are being asked to design, build and launch mini-satellites in the shape of a soft drinks can as part of the ESERO Ireland and CEIA CanSat competition.

 

 

A CanSat is a simulation of a real satellite and is a European Space Agency initiative designed to INSPIRE young people to pursue a career in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the availability of a highly qualified workforce in the space industry of the future.

 

Each team will have to fit all the major subsystems found in a satellite to their CanSat including power, sensors and communications and provide a parachute to ensure the can has a gentle landing.

 

Now in its seventh year, the competition is run in partnership with five Institutes of Technology who recruit and train teams from local schools and run regional competitions.

 

 

Regional finalists will go forward to the national final in April 2017, and the winning team will represent Ireland in the European competition in June 2017. 

 

Team ConfeyCan from Confey College in Leixlip represented Ireland and came third in the Advanced Category at the European CanSat Final in 2016.

 

Speaking at the launch of CanSat 2017 today, Dr. Eamon Connolly, CEIA Promotion Officer, said: “CanSat is a fun and engaging space project that simulates a real satellite into the volume of a soft drink can. Students build and launch their own satellite and get first-hand practical experience of a real space project."

 

"This initiative is designed to encourage and excite senior second level students as to the possibilities of a career in science and engineering.”

 

 

Highlighting the career possibilities in science, Dr Connolly added: “ESA is Europe’s gateway to space. Space exploration is a really exciting area and there are huge career opportunities available in the sector – for example there are more than 2000 scientists, engineers and information technology specialists working for the ESA across, including 28 Irish scientists and engineers."

 

"CanSat is about showcasing these amazing opportunities to the next generation and get students thinking about a career in space."

 

The launch coincides with Science Week which takes place from Monday, 3rd to Saturday, 8th October 2016. 

 

For more information on the 2017 CanSat competition, interested students should log on to www.esero.ie/projects or see www.ceia.ie.

 

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