Design, build, and launch a real spacecraft the size of a soda can. Compete internationally. Learn engineering the hard way — by doing it.
A CanSat is a miniaturised satellite packed into the volume of a standard soft-drink can — roughly 330ml. Teams of students design the entire system from scratch: sensors, electronics, firmware, power, and the mechanics needed to survive a rocket launch and controlled descent.
The CanSat is carried to altitude by a small rocket or balloon, ejected, and must transmit real science data to a ground station as it falls. Every phase mirrors what professional space engineers do at agencies like ESA and NASA.
"It's not a simulation. You build it, you fly it, you analyse the data — and you learn that space is hard, and that's exactly the point."
Define your science objective. Choose sensors. Draft your mission concept document.
Full system design review. Schematics, CAD models, firmware architecture presented to experts.
Assemble PCBs, integrate sensors, write code. Thermal vacuum and vibration testing.
Your CanSat rides a rocket. Your ground station receives live telemetry. Everything is real.
Analyse flight data, write your final mission report. Present results at the national competition.
Design custom circuit boards. Work with microcontrollers, sensors, and RF modules. Learn to solder, test, and debug hardware in the real world.
Write firmware that runs on your satellite. Real-time sensor fusion, telemetry encoding, power management, and failure handling.
Design and operate your ground station. Understand link budgets, antenna theory, and packet protocols used in real satellite operations.
Design a structure that survives rocket launch g-forces, then deploys a parachute and lands safely. CAD, 3D printing, and composites.
Define a real scientific objective — atmospheric profiling, GPS tracking, attitude estimation. Collect, process, and interpret actual flight data.
Manage a complex project as a team. Write requirements, hold design reviews, track budgets (mass, power, cost), and deliver on schedule.
Every engineer who built the ISS, every mission controller at ESA, every spacecraft designer — they all started somewhere. CanSat is where you start.
Begin Your Mission →Students aged 14–25. No prior experience required — we teach you everything. Teams of 3–6 members. Schools, universities, and independent groups are all welcome.
The full cycle runs approximately 8–10 months, from team registration through to the national launch competition. Most teams invest 4–8 hours per week.
Programme fees cover mentorship, workshops, and access to lab facilities. Component costs vary by mission design, typically €200–500 for the CanSat itself. Sponsorship support is available.
No. Access to soldering stations, 3D printers, test instruments, and cleanroom space is provided at our partner facilities. You bring curiosity and commitment.
Top teams are invited to advanced SpaceBenefit research programmes. Alumni have gone on to internships at ESA, aerospace companies, and leading university space labs.
| Diameter | Max 66 mm (fits inside standard launch tube) |
| Height | Max 115 mm (standard canister) |
| Mass | 350 g ± 10 g (including parachute system) |
| Power | Battery-powered; solar optional. Typical 500–1000 mAh LiPo |
| Comms | Downlink to ground station required; 433 MHz / 868 MHz common bands |
| Data Rate | ≥ 1 Hz telemetry. GPS + at least 2 science sensors required |
| Recovery | Parachute mandatory. Descent rate 8–11 m/s |
| Launch G | Design for up to 20g axial, 5g lateral shock |
| Operating Temp | −20°C to +60°C across full mission profile |
| Standards | ESA CanSat Guidelines 2024 edition |
Applications for the 2025/26 programme cycle are open. Form your team and send us your mission concept by email — no forms, no portals, just a message.
info@spacebenefit.com →