CanSat Classroom: Students Build Soda-Can-Sized Satellites at UIU Workshop
Students learned to build a tiny artificial satellite the size of a soft drink can at a hands-on workshop titled “CanSat Workshop,” held at United International University (UIU).
The day-long, experiential learning program took place on Saturday, 24 January, with the aim of introducing students to space engineering through practical engagement. Designed to help participants grasp the fundamentals of aerospace engineering in real-world conditions, the miniature satellite—known as a CanSat—was equipped with sensors and control systems capable of collecting key data such as temperature, air pressure, and altitude. During launch, the system transmitted this data to a ground station in real time. The CanSat platform offers students hands-on exposure to satellite design, programming, and data analysis.
The workshop was jointly organized by Space Innovation Camp and United International University, with UIU Mars Rover Team serving as the collaborating partner. Students from school, college, and university levels participated in the program and gained end-to-end practical experience in designing, building, programming, and launching a fully functional CanSat (mini satellite).
Throughout the intensive workshop, participants learned about CanSat structural design, sensor and electronics integration, microcontroller programming, live telemetry data acquisition, system testing, and troubleshooting. One of the key highlights of the event was the drop-test-based CanSat launch and successful recovery, following which students analyzed real atmospheric data collected by their own CanSats.
Speaking at the event, Md. Abid Hossain, Director of the UIU Mars Rover Team and Mentor of the SIC CanSat Crew, said:
“Today’s students cannot remain confined to textbooks alone. Through the CanSat workshop, we wanted to immerse them in an experience where they make their own decisions, make mistakes, learn from them, and collaboratively find solutions. It is this kind of practical, experience-based learning that can produce the innovators, researchers, and forward thinkers of tomorrow. We believe many of the students who participated in this workshop will go on to make significant contributions to the country’s space, science, and technology-driven initiatives.”
Ariful Hasan Apu, President of Space Innovation Camp, explained the motivation behind the initiative, saying:
“The core objective of organizing this workshop is to inspire the next generation to take an interest in space technology through mini satellites. Before working on large and complex satellites, one must first acquire fundamental concepts and skills, and that journey begins with small-scale satellites like CanSats. We want students to learn this foundation through hands-on practice from the very beginning. Experience with tiny satellites like CanSats prepares them for future involvement in larger satellite projects. With that goal in mind, we organized this CanSat workshop and camp program.”
The organizers, Space Innovation Camp, also announced plans to host seminars and workshops on CanSat technology across educational institutions nationwide in the future, further expanding access to practical space engineering education.
DBTech/AO/EK/OR
