Report of CanSat Leader Training Program
Shusaku Yamaura, Hiroaki Akiyama

Rei Kawashima

Institute for Education on Space
Wakayama UniversityWakayama, Japansyamaura@center.wakayama-u.ac.jp

University Space Engineering Consortium
Tokyo, Japan

Abstract—CanSat Leader Training Program (CLTP) has been
held in Japan from 14th February to 14th March 2011. This
program is designed for researchers and educators in spaceengineering to learn the basic concept of space education, andalso to experience practical hands-on training, systemengineering, project management and teamwork. Participants
are 12 and from 10 countries this year: Turkey, Mexico,Guatemala, Peru, Sri Lanka, Australia, Nigeria, Algeria, Egyptand Vietnam. A microcontroller module called mbed was used forthe main computer, as it has online development environment aswell as quite a few libraries for users to get used to it rapidly. In
the first week, starting with lecture of mbed, three teams built
very simple CanSats. The CanSats were launched by model
rocket (2m long and goes up to the altitude of 350m) in Kada,Wakayama. Advanced level “come-back” CanSats were built in
the rest of the weeks. Unfortunately, those CanSats were notlaunched due to the earthquake in Japan on 11th March 2011.
However, CLTP ended successfully as they all experienced theprimary purposes of this program. Instruction material of spaceeducation focused on CanSat is now in progress, and it is going to
be tailored and translated into the version of respective countries.
The basic concept of space education, the background of CLTP,
and the detailed contents of program are explained in this paper.

U.S. And students from Japan and some other countries havebeen attending ARLISS since 1999[1]. Driven by these
activities, UNISEC, University Space Engineering Consortium,
was founded in 2002[2] and became NPO in 2003 to train
students for innovative space activity and to collaborate amonguniversities throughout Japan. UNISEC is consisted of morethan 500 students and 150 individuals and supporting
members. Not only CanSat, but also activities such as
Micro/Nano/Pico satellite project, Hybrid rocket project andmany other types of space activities are supported andcooperated.

Keywords- CanSat, mbed, space educatoin, model rocket,
hybrid rocket

I.

INTRODUCTION

CanSat is Soda-can-sized satellite, which has been used for
introduction of practical space engineering for more than tenyears. Students can learn basics of system engineering, project
management, teamwork in addition to experience of hands-on
training through CanSat project. When it comes to developing
satellite normally, several years and huge budget are required;thus even if students somehow get chance to be involved insatellite project, they can hardly learn whole developing
process of satellite but work on a specific part in limited time.
On the other hand, CanSat is very effective education tool forthem to experience whole developing cycle of satellite: design,build, launch, operate and analyze data with a small budget inshort time.

Figure 1. ARLISS 2005 Rocket Launch(http://www.unisec.jp/history/arliss2005titech-b3.html)

Now, we decided to launch this knowledge and experience
to all over the world. Rei Kawashima, first Secretary Generalof UNISEC, declared, “We will make the world that space
activity is not something special. That is such a world that
more than a half of numbers of countries on the earth has
ability to develop satellite/spacecraft. Then it will be natural forhuman activity to go out of gravity of the earth.” This is thecore motivation of why CLTP was held in Japan.
The program was held in Wakayama University for amonth, inviting 12 researchers/faculty from 10 different
countries: Turkey, Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Sri Lanka,
Australia, Nigeria, Algeria, Egypt and Vietnam. They are

In Japan, CanSat activity has been developing for morethan ten years since Robert Twiggs introduced it in Stanford
University. ARLISS, A Rocket Launch for International
Student Satellites, is held in Black Rock Desert, Nevada, the978-1-4244-9616-7/11/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE856

divided into three teams and worked together during theprogram.

This picture above is the working lab for discussion,soldering, and programming. There is also machine shop called"CREA" in Wakayama University; and there are machines
such as drilling machine, lathe, milling machine and band saw
as well as some tools in the room. Also the picture next is therocket launching site at Kada, Wakayama. CanSats werelaunched by model rockets here for CLTP. This place is also
used for hybrid engine rocket, as far as the altitude is below
400 m.

A microcontroller called mbed was selected for the main
on-board computer of CanSat, which is known as an effective
tool for rapid prototyping.

Figure 2. mbed microcontroller

Mbed has its developing environment online, thus noinstallation and bothersome setup of environment is required touse. Moreover, there are full of C++ libraries to play withmbed, and that makes users to get used it quickly. When it
comes to work with a microcontroller for the first time, people
tend to spend much time just for getting used to it and cannot
work on something advance. Therefore, Mbed was selected for
CLTP because of not only its useful features but also limited
time of the program.
II.

Figure 4. Kada, Rocket Launching Site

A. First Term
This term is to grasp what CanSat is, by making basic
CanSat in three days. Some devices listed below were provided
in advance for the first “rapid prototyping CanSat.”PROGRAM CONTENTS

Over all, CLTP is consisted of two terms; one is theintroduction of CanSat (a week), and the other is fordeveloping advanced level CanSat (three weeks). There werealso various lectures from some experts held during theprogram. Teaching assistants (TA) who have experienced
CanSat project before supported each teams. Basically, what isprovided in the program is not only to teach how to make
CanSat itself technically but rather the opportunity toexperience CanSat project and to obtain know-how to actually
implement CanSat education in each country. Therefore, eachteams needed to think and discuss on their own to develop theirCanSat.

TABLE I.
No.

Here is the environment for CLTP

PROVIDED DEVICES IN ADVANCE

DeviceModel Name1mbedmbed NXP LPC1768

22-axis gyro sensor

LPR530AL gyro module

33-axis accelerometer

MMA7455L

4Pressure sensor

MPS-2407-015AD

5GPS module

GT-720F

6Xbee

XbeePro RF module

7Thermometer ICLM35DZ

8SD data logger module

MSC-MOD109Servo motor

GWS servo MICRO

10Small camera

FS-MD200

11

Other electronics

Register, capacitor, etc.

12Structural materials

Can, parachute, screws, etc.

First, Senio Networks, Inc. gave basic lecture of mbed.
Having known how to play with mbed, 12 participants weredivided into three teams (four people per team). Then they
discussed, designed, built, and tested CanSat within three days.
Figure 3. Working Lab

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Finally those CanSats were launched by model rocket at Kada,Wakayama.
After launched by rocket, CanSat is released in the air,descends with parachute, and lands safely. After theexperiment, they analyze the data obtained by inner sensors
and make summary and presentation. Then all teams
experience whole cycle of CanSat project in very short time bythis point.
B. Second Term
After knowing the concept of CanSat, each team starts todevelop an advanced level CanSats. The mission is set to“come back” to the launch point after released in the air. This isthe type of competition set for ARLISS competition as well.
There are mainly three types of comeback CanSats: Fixed-wing
type, parafoil type and rover type. In contrast to the first term,each team selects and buy most of materials and electronics
necessary for building CanSats on their own with provided
budget after designing their CanSat.

•System design management by Seiko Shirasaka,
associate professor in Graduate School of System
Design Management, Keio University•

CanSat and CubeSat activity by Seiji Kuroki, professor
emeritus in Soka University•

Special online lecture by Bob Twiggs, professor ofStanford University and the founder of CanSat andCubeSat

D. Textbook of Space Education
When education program needs to be implemented in anyplace, a lot of concerns come up. For instance, even after
knowing how to make CanSat itself, they need rocket, engine,launch site, and also to know what to pay attention to, etc.
Moreover, CanSat is not only the option of learning spacesystem engineering and project management; hybrid rocket
project and other types can be applied according to thesituation. Therefore, "textbook" of space education is going tobe published, and tailored/translated to each country's language
by taking advantage of this program.

Balloon was provided for releasing test in the air. It can be
kept in the altitude of up to 100 m. Although it is hard tohandle in windy outside, it is easier and cheaper for testing
CanSat than actually launching a rocket.

III.

RESULT AND FUTURE PLAN

In the first term of the program, all teams made simpleCanSat on time and launched them at Kada, Wakayama. Those
CanSats are very simple and consisted of only mbed, and somesensors like accelerometer, gyro sensor, and pressure sensor.

Figure 5. Balloon Experiment

Final launch experiment was planned to be held in the basearea of Mt. Mihara in Izu-oshima Island. There is almost
nothing around, thus good for rocket launch.
Figure 7. CanSat circuit board (Team ETAS)

Figure 6. Izu-Oshima Island Launching SiteC. Supportive Contents
Some lectures were held during the program:•Project management and team building method byHiroaki Akiyama, professor/director of Institute for
Education on Space in Wakayama University

Figure 8. CanSat in a rocket

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One of the CanSats was blown away due to the strong
wind on the day of launch and another team’s CanSat fell
freely without parachute that is cut off with the shock when it
was released from rocket in the air. The first one, unfortunately,could not be found; and the second one’s accident is because
they attached little weight to resist to be blown away like firstone, but the weight caused the parachute cut. Last CanSat
landed safely with large hole on parachute and obtained somedata from sensors and video taken by on-board small camera.
Next, after the real experience of building and launching ofCanSat in short days, all teams tackled on advanced level“come back” CanSat. In the process of building this CanSat, allparticipants experienced brainstorming, discussion, managing
team, designing, shaping materials using machine shop,
electronics developing, programing and testing with balloon.
These are necessary work as far as CanSat activity goes.
Unfortunately those CanSats were not launched due to the huge
earthquake happened at March 11th. However, most part of
purpose of CLTP is satisfied in terms of experience.

Fig.9 is a rover type. It separates its parachute off by cutting
connection nylon string with heating nichrome wire after
landing on the ground. Then starts moving to the direction oftarget with position and direction information by GPS andother sensors. Fig.10 is fixed wing type. This team struggled alot to lose its weight to make it light enough to fly well. First,the wing is folded to fit in a rocket and opens with spring. Infact, it flew stably when it was tested with balloon. Fig.11 is anunique type. It is kind of rover type but driven by its propeller.
Tail wheel controls its direction. Originally, this team designed
fixed wing type but changed the design in the middle.
Here is the result of questionnaire about this program.

Pictures below are their comeback CanSats.

Figure 9. Team "ISF" (rover type)Figure 12. Result of Quastionnaire (disagree/poor 1 < ---- > 5 agree/good)Over all, it seems all participants are satisfied with thecontents of the program. At the same time, however, there arealso some comments:

Figure 10. Team "TANG-sat" (fixed-wing type)•

Share deficiencies of members in advance•More opportunity to test CanSats•

Increase technical aspect of CanSat•

Provide basic platform of comeback CanSat•

Share previous experience more

In response to the opinions of participants and our own
impression of this first CLTP, some improvements can beapplied for the next program.
Figure 11. Team "ETAS" (rover type with propeller)

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•

More detailed lecture of project management, systemdesign as well as more other technical lecture•

More information about previous activity results•

More chance to discuss CanSat education itself among
participants•

Other types of mission for CanSatIV.

CONCLUSION

The concept of CanSat activity and the purpose of CLTP
are explained in this paper. CLTP was held for a month andended successfully overall. All of the participants experienced
whole process of CanSat activity and are ready to spread
CanSat education in respective countries. Some improvements
can be applied for the next CLTP, and succeeding effort isneeded to make original vision reality.

Regarding to last one, they tend to spend majority of time
to build structure of CanSat when the mission is a type of
comeback competition. Structure of satellites is, of course, oneof the important aspects of them, but more time should be spentfor other important things like electronics, programing andcommunication. Comeback competition is, indeed, attractive
and fun mission, but other types of mission also need to beconsidered for the next CLTP and any CanSat activity.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
First, I would like to show my gratitude to JapaneseCabinet Office for the funding support on this program.
Second, CLTP would not have been possible without Suntory
Holdings Ltd., sponsor of this program, and staffs of UNISECand Wakayama University worked hard behind scene. Third, I
owe my deepest gratitude to teaching assistants from Osaka
Prefecture University, Keio University and Wakayama
University, and lecturers, Prof. Kuroki, Associate Prof.
Shirasaka, and Prof. Robert Twiggs, and Senio Networks, Inc.
Forth, it was an honor for me to work with all participants ofCLTP. And finally, I am grateful to have had such a great
opportunity to be a part of CLTP thanks to Ms. Rei Kawashimaand Prof. Akiyama.

Also, there were some exciting ideas, such as "InternationalCanSat competition should be held soon." and "We shouldtackle on some bigger project together starting with LEO
satellite project." These are great result of the program interms of that CLTP pulled the trigger of international
collaboration of space activity.
Lastly, textbook of space education is being edited now andEnglish version is going to be published soon. It will beavailable online for that any country can access to it toimplement space education. It will be also tailored andtranslated to respective language.

REFERENCES[1]
[2]

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University of Tokyo CanSat Website, "CanSat Main Page",
http://www.space.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/cansat/r_index.html (April. 2011)
UNISEC Website, "About UNISEC", http://www.unisec.jp/about/indexe.html (April 2011)