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Michał Beme building a miniature satellite.

Picture courtesy of: Fryderyk Boniecki

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How we plan to reach for the stars: Our journey with CanSat

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Fryderyk Boniecki in Warsaw, Poland

17-year-old Fryderyk Boniecki on his team’s mission to build a fully functional mini satellite

Our AstroSat team, consisting of four students from Warsaw, including myself, is participating in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) prestigious CanSat 2024–25 competition. Together, we aim to transform our classroom knowledge into a tangible mission by designing, building and launching a fully functional miniature satellite.

I and my teammates – Michał Beme (14), Ignacy Charaszkiewicz (17) and Stanisław Kulka (17) – from the Classical School of Warsaw, under the supervision of aerospace engineer Dr Artur Jarzabek, are taking this exciting challenge.

A CanSat is a miniature satellite designed to simulate the functionality of a real satellite within the size constraints of a soft drink can. Students are tasked with designing, constructing and launching their CanSat, which is then deployed to an altitude of about 2,500 metres by rocket, balloon or platform. Once launched, the CanSat performs scientific experiments before achieving a safe landing.

“Our CanSat will perform two missions. The primary mission will be measuring atmospheric pressure and temperature during descent to analyse gradients in the Earth’s troposphere,” Ignacy Charaszkiewicz told Harbingers’ Magazine

The secondary mission is even more ambitious, simulating the assessment of planetary habitability. This involves measuring UV radiation, humidity, gravitational force and atmospheric composition.

“Using readily available sensors and a custom Python programme, the AstroSat team aims to collect and analyse real-time data to evaluate whether conditions support human survival, plant growth and energy production,” explained our mentor, Dr Artur Jarzabek.

More than 24 countries in Europe are running dedicated CanSat competitions, giving students aged 14 to 19 a unique opportunity to experience the demands of a real-world space project. From initial design and component integration to testing and data analysis, our team is responsible for every aspect of the satellite. 

“It’s an incredible way to apply what we’ve learned in class to a practical, high-stakes project,” said Michał Beme, our team’s leader and programmer, who has dedicated countless hours to the mission.

“As we prepare to launch our CanSat in Pustynia Błędowska, Poland, on 12 April, our passion for space exploration and hands-on engineering drives us forward,” said Stanislaw Kulka, who oversees the design of the satellite’s structure.

Dr Jarzabek also highlighted the broader impact of the competition, explaining that it is a unique opportunity for high school students to get real hands-on experience in engineering. It is much more entertaining than the classical method of teaching in a classroom and promotes studying STEM subjects by showing that even teenagers with a modest budget can design, construct and launch a satellite. “The sky is the limit,” he says.

With teamwork, dedication and a shared love of innovation, we hope to demonstrate that even the smallest satellites can achieve extraordinary things.

Written by:

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Fryderyk Boniecki

External Contributor

Warsaw, Poland

Fryderyk Boniecki is a student based in Warsaw, Poland. His interests include history, geopolitics, and the politics of trade.

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