The experience of mentoring two 12th edition CanSat teams
Our knowledge in satellite development extends beyond our own team—it’s also a valuable resource for others tackling challenges in this field. The CanSat Portugal Competition, organized by Ciência Viva in collaboration with ESERO Portugal, brings together teams of high school students from across the country to design and develop mini-satellites of the size of a soda can. The challenge lies in integrating essential systems, such as power, sensors, and communication, into this incredibly small space.
For the 12th edition of the competition, we have had the pleasure of mentoring two outstanding teams:
• IRSAT from Escola Secundária José Saramago, Mafra, which is exploring the development of a low-cost inertial navigation system. Their system is designed to function autonomously in environments lacking GPS signals, such as the surface of Mars, showcasing its potential for space exploration.
• Xanthoria CanSat from Colégio Ribadouro, Porto, which is creating an innovative protective coating for their CanSat. Their solution uses lichens—symbiotic organisms formed by the relationship between fungi and algae—to shield sensitive electronic components from harmful UV radiation.
We are thrilled to announce that both teams have successfully advanced to the final stage of the competition, and we will continue to provide our full support as they work to achieve their goals. We extend our warmest congratulations to IRSAT and Xanthoria for their dedication and innovation.
