CanSat Design Challenge
for Secondary Schools

June 3, 2021: CanSats have been drop-tested! Final results coming soon!

A CanSat is a small simplified satellite, which is the size of a soft-drink can. The challenge is to fit all the major subsystems found in a satellite - such as power, sensors, and a communications system - into this minimal volume. The CanSat is then launched by a rocket (or dropped by airplane or drone) to an altitude of approximately one kilometre. Then its mission begins. This involves carrying out a scientific experiment and/or a technology demonstration, achieving a safe landing, and analysing the data collected.

The CanSat Design Challenge is starting its inaugural offering in September, 2020. This initial offering will only be offered in British Columbia and the Yukon; however, we will expand it to other provinces as interest grows in subsequent years.

CubeSat Design Challenge
for Universities

Status: Launch vibration testing postponed until May, 2021 at the earliest.

The CubeSat Design Challenge is a competition for teams of university and college students to design and build a 3U CubeSat, a fully-operational satellite which is about the size of a 2 litre carton of milk.

The competition proceeds in a similar manner to an industry-led space mission, and includes hands-on workshops given by space industry experts. The competition concludes with a simulated launch vibration test, and we hope to be able to launch the winning team's satellite into orbit to carry out its science mission.

The current offering  of the CubeSat Design Challenge (CSDC-5) has been postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. We hope to conclude in May or June of 2021, but we can't guarantee that at this moment.