WUT students reach the final of the international CanSat competition

Technical Specifications and Mission Objectives

The main engineering challenge in this year’s edition of the competition is to design and build a space probe equipped with a controllable paraglider parachute system. According to the mission profile, the device is launched to an altitude of approximately 1 km, from which it must autonomously navigate to a designated landing point using an integrated autopilot system. At an altitude of 2 meters above the target, the lander module separates and is responsible for securing the payload in the form of a raw chicken egg. The key success criterion is maintaining the integrity of the payload after all flight phases are completed.

Work on the project began in September 2025. The process included the development of conceptual assumptions, mechanical design, electronic systems, and aerodynamic calculations for braking and stabilization systems.

Space probe project by Warsaw University of Technology students

Control Systems Implementation and Verification Results

As part of the design work, the team implemented a proprietary onboard computer equipped with a set of inertial and barometric sensors, as well as two GNSS receivers. The team also developed a dedicated power supply system. During testing, necessary modifications were made to the electronic system, eliminating stability issues related to the microcontroller (MCU) and sensors. The geometry of the controllable parachute and module separation mechanisms were also optimized.

The project successfully passed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR), achieving a score of 91.6%. The team is currently focused on optimizing the system ahead of the Critical Design Review (CDR), aiming for full compliance with technical requirements and the highest possible score.

Project Organization

The project requires strict adherence to the schedule set by the organizers. Prototyping and component testing are carried out in parallel with full-time studies, requiring high efficiency in time and resource management. These activities cover the full lifecycle of an engineering product — from concept and design to environmental testing and securing funding necessary for participation in the finals in the United States.

The project team consists of: Kari Burger, Andrei Lebedev, Filip Majewski, Rafał Mystkowski, Tinovanga Sagonda, Małgorzata Stacherczak, Marcel Szubartowski, Adriana Ślusarz, Aleksander Tytus, and Jakub Zagrabski.