Design and Implementation of a Rover-Back
CANSAT
Mustafa Emre Aydemir

Esau Vincente Vivas
Mexico University Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
Mexicoevv@SERVIDOR.UNAM.MX

Department of Electronics Engineering
Turkish Air Force Academy
Istanbul, Turkey
m.aydemir@hho.edu.tr

Fredy Calle Bustinza
Peru Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria
Peru
fcalleb@uni.pe

Mansur Celebi
Department of Aerospace Engineering
Turkish Air Force Academy
Istanbul, Turkey
m.ilarslan@hho.edu.tr

Dan PhanVietnam Space Tech Institute of Vietnam
Vietnamphanmanhdan@gmail.com

Serdar Ay
Department of Aerospace EngineeringTurkish Air Force Academy
Istanbul, Turkey

includes the MBED computer, gyros, accelerometers,
atmospheric pressure sensor, batteries, stand-alone digital
video camera, foam structure placed inside a can and parachute(Fig.1,2).

Abstract— In this study, a CanSat with capability of returning
back to target is designed amd implemented. The device is a partof project that has been implemented during the CLTP (CanSatLeadership Training Program) in Wakayama University. The
CanSat is controlled by a state-of-the-art MBED 32-bit
microcontroller. The main components are the pressure,ultrasonic, gps sensors and the 2.4 GHZ transmitter. The missionis planned for two stages which are flight back to the target by aparaglider and rovering on the ground on wheels. The process
will be monitored on the ground sation via the GoogleEarthsoftware. The electronics&hardware design and the control
algorithm is discussed in depth in this paper.
Keywords:
Sub-Orbital
Microcontroller

I.

Flight,CubeSat,Navigation,INTRODUCTIONCANSAT's have gained wide popularity in Aerospace
Education [1,2]. Due to their low-cost and nearly identical toCUBESAT operation, they are being highly employed inaerospace training for the Bachelor students. This paper isabout a CANSAT that has been implemented during theCANSAT leadership training program at the Wakayama
University in Japan. The program has allowed all of theparticipants to get the knowledge of two full CANSAT
experiences. Starting with the initial course about a very
flexible computer, the MBED system, discussion of the projectidea, the design, the development (hardware and software), thevalidation, the correction of mistakes, the conduction of theprojects, the launching process, the digestion of learned
lessons, the interaction with international colleagues.

(a)

(b)
II.

DESIGN OF THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL CANSAT

Figure 1. (a) The NXP LPC1768 MBED Microcontroller(b) The inner circuit of the high-school level CANSAT

The first CANSAT implemented during the program was ahigh-school level one. It has been completed in just 2 days. It

The authors would like to thank the UNISEC (UniversitySpace Engineering Consortium) and the Turkish Air Forcefor their technical and financial support during theimplementation of this workshop.

978-1-4244-9616-7/11/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE800

(b)Figure 4. 3-Axis (a) temperature and (b) acceleration data retreived from theCANSAT.
Figure 2. Electronic schematics of the CANSATIII.

DESIGN OF THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL CANSAT

The second task was to perform the mission requirements
in order to provide capabilities to the CANSAT to operateautonomously to reach a physical target. The target would bereached either by air operations or by land navigation. So thedifficult task was to integrate enough hardware resources anddrive them together to reach a suitable solution for the comeback mission.
In this project we tested two approaches. The first one aparaglide control phase where CANSAT would steer paraglider
brake strings with a servomechanism to control the CANSAT
flight after being released from the rocket launcher. However,after several tests in laboratory, launchings from the University
buildings, and few launchings from balloon, it was decided toquit this approach because no physical paraglider control wasobtained. Though, not everything was bad, we opted to relay
only in the CANSAT rover operation. Besides, we gained
important room inside the CANSAT when we had to remove
the servomechanism employed to control the paraglide. In thisway we developed another CANSAT structure, simpler andlighter than previous one (Fig.4). Furthermore, we did enoughroom to integrate a sonar sensor used to detect and avoidobstacles.

Figure 3. Ground testing the CANSAT assembly parachute in high winds

The first validation was done launching the CANSAT fromthe top of a building in Wakayama University. After the tests,
MBED file data was downloaded in laptops to analyze
CANSAT mission data. Then the CANSAT was successfullylaunched with a rocket in Wakayama. The CANSAT wasrecovered in the field and mission data as well as video data
were successfully recovered (Fig.3).
This experience was amazing, in just few days threedifferent groups (4 persons each) designed, developed, tested,launched and analyzed mission data from CANSATs.

(a)

801

sensor, accelerometers, stand-alone digital video camera, Xbee
wireless transceiver and 2 sets of batteries (one for parachutestring cutting circuit and one for electronics). The Electronics
schematics is in Fig.6.
The ground station segment (GSS) was formed by a laptop
computer with Google Earth Software (GES), hyperterminal
software and an Xbee transceiver for wireless communications
among Navi Cansat and GSS. The cansat navigation to thetarget was enabled by the use of a GPS, navigation software(wheel driving software) as well as by obstacle detection
algorithms. All this approaches were tested at subsystem level
and they performed very well. The block diagram of thehardware is given in Fig. 7.
The rover validation tests performed at Wakayama
University showed that we were able to remote follow the Navi
Cansat with GES employing satellite images of the campus.
Therefore, this solution can be used in any part of the world
and the cansat will be followed with good quality GES satellite
images. In order to control this Navi Cansat mission, it wasalso required important software to drive cansat wheels not
only to move ahead but also for making turnings either to theleft or right whenever obstacles were detected.

Figure 5. The university-level CANSAT assembly

The final instrumentation was as follows: Aluminum
Structure, 3 wheels (left, right and stabilization tail), 2
servomechanisms, GPS, sonar sensor, atmospheric pressure

Figure 6. The university-level CANSAT electronic schematics

802Figure 7. The university-level CANSAT block diagramIV.

CONCLUSION

The program took just three weeks of hard work toparticipants to generate outstanding projects. During this time,
the teams slept very few hours to develop complex projects,
but it worth it a lot. By instance, this type of experience in thesmall satellite field can take even few years to get the project
done. And even after that time it is not sure that good results
will be obtained with the mission. In addition, small satellite
projects are not cheaper and are not so fast to be developed(specially for newcomers). That is why this CLTP program isextraordinary. Actually, it reminded one of the ISF teammembers the project he participated as young Engineer at Utah
State University (USU), Logan, Utah, USA, in 1985-86, wherea team of 12 academicians worked at USU for 7 months todevelop Automatic Space Experiments to be flown in theNASA´s Space Shuttle. For that project it took that team 7months of work to see similar results to these seen inWakayama for CLTP program.

Figure 8. The Technical Process by Seiko Shirasaka

After the CLTP, in Turkey, the CANSAT Training iswidened through military colleges and the aim is to compete inARLISS [2].
In the Mexican case, they will take this experience to offer
similar training program in about 20 Universities which
manage some type or Aeronautic or Aerospace programs. Theidea will be first to provide this training to lecturers fromreferred Universities. And then they will teach the same course
to their students. During this process will make arrangementswith some institutions to establish a National Cansat Contest.
This contex will be expected to take place in 2012 and the idea
will be to provide support to the winners to get them toparticipate in Cansat International Contest. This program will
be of importance, because it will allow to complement theacademic formation of young future Engineers. It will also
complement the responsibility of the Mexican Space Agency(under formation) to participate in the generation andmotivation of young human resources in the Aerospace andmore generally in the TI field all over the country.

The study was a good application of System Engineering(Fig. 8). The study was successfully implemented on thosemilestones:-Time management.
-Requirement analysis and Verification.
-Schedule Planning.
-Identification of works and definition of the order of theworks.
-Estimated required time to finish each work.
-Activities checked through design review.
-Normal way of monitoring and control-Check the current status against the plan.
-Monitor and Control of Critical Path and-The method to estimate schedule and cost based on theplan and current status.

REFERENCES
[1]

[2]

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Saburo MATUNAGA , Keisuke YOSHIARA, Yoshiki SUGIURAMasato SEKIGUCHI, Hirotaka SAWADA, Shingo TSURUMI, Koji
NAKAYA, Makoto MORI, Kyoichi UI, Naohide MAEDA OsamuMORI., TITECH Micro-Satellite Model: CANSAT for Sub-Orbital
Flight. Mechano-Aerospace Engineering, Tokyo Institute ofTechnology, Tokyo 152-8552, JapanARLISS (A Rocket Launch for International Satellite Students)
Homepage, www.arliss.org