CanSat

Education Level:: Senior Cycle

Discover what it takes to create a real space project from start to finish. The CanSat competition challenges students in TY and Senior Cycle or equivalent to design, build, and launch a mini-satellite, all within the size of a beverage can. Registration for the 2025/2026 competition is now open – see below.

CanSat is a competition by the European Space Agency (ESA) for second level students. The challenge is to fit a satellite’s key parts—like power, sensors, and communication systems—into a beverage can. Students design, build, and launch their CanSat, collect data as it descends, and send it back to a ground station for analysis.

Competition Overview

National competitions are held each year by ESA’s ESERO offices and other partners. The winning teams from each country will attend ESA’s special event, ‘Space Engineer for a Day’, where they will:

Explore cutting-edge space facilities and laboratories
Meet space experts
Present their work during a poster session
Participate in space-themed activities and network with other teams

Primary and Secondary Missions

Primary Mission: The CanSat must measure air pressure and air temperature during its descent, transmitting the data to a computer. Students analyze the data and present it in graphs, such as altitude vs. time or temperature vs. altitude.
Secondary Mission: Teams can develop their own creative missions, such as advanced telemetry (GPS or radiation levels), telecommand features, landing systems, or control mechanisms for targeted landings.

Supporting Participating Teams

Schools participating in the competition receive support from partner colleges, including access to advanced labs, technical mentorship, and industry guidance. Teams are provided with a starter kit, an introductory course, and ongoing technical help from dedicated mentors.

See more information about the CanSat project here
CanSat – European Space Agency

Registration of interest

Register your interest in taking part in CanSat for 2025/26. Please note this form is for teachers/educators to complete.

Please contact eseroireland@researchireland.ie with any queries.

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