A diversified team of NTTF participants has made India proud by winning the World CANSAT/ Rocketry Championship (WCRC) finals, which was held in Serbia from September 25–27, 2022. The team comprised of participants from different parts of India and effectively demonstrated the power of a strong team spirit to accomplish their goals by overcoming other teams from the globe.
The CANSAT is a miniature satellite with all the necessary features of a real satellite. It is shaped like a soft drink ‘Can’. Despite being a scaled-down version of an actual satellite, it carries all the critical components for a successful launch. Everything is integrated into a compact soft drink can shaped satellite model, including the On-board computer, power supply, sensors, and communication protocol.
Ms. Jyothi, a Bangalore NTTF faculty member with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering and a Postgraduate Diploma from NTTF, led the winning team named NTTF SPACE ACES INDIA. NTTF Students of the team included Mr. Vikrant from Vijayawada, AP, Mr. Hari Haran Poovannan from Pondicherry, Mr. Syed Ilyas from Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu and Ms. Sarmishtha from Berhampur, Odisha, and representing various parts of India.
The team designed CANSAT structure using Solid works and 3-D Printing, using “Aerospace grade material ULTEM” which was 60 grams. Utilizing PCB facilities available at NTTF, Bangalore, with multiple tests done, the team meticulously prepared for the competition. The Integrated model was of 150 grams.
The mission started when the “University Space Engineering Consortium” (UNISEC) Chapter was inaugurated at NTTF Electronic Centre on 21/12/2020. Further, in 2021, NTTF had organized a first-of-its-kind workshop where a drone, carrying a miniature satellite, was successfully launched by a group of NTTF trainees from their NEC campus in Bangalore. The CanSAT was launched in the presence of notable space scientists, including former ISRO scientist Dr. R.M. Vasagam. It was a unique interdisciplinary project that gave student’s exposure to Space Technology, through a trailblazing project.
Sharing her experience and excitement of being a part of the entire workshop, Ms. Maansi from the Mechatronics Department, NTTF, said, “when I first heard about the CanSAT programme, I was ecstatic because it meant we’d be able to try something new outside of our curriculum. And satellites are something that everyone is interested in. Launching a satellite necessitates a detailed understanding of the many stages involved. In addition, the well-balanced theory and practical lectures assisted us in gaining the necessary skills and knowledge. We were able to build something new thanks to the CanSAT programme, something we never thought we could.”
(Read more: https://nationalskillsnetwork.in/cansat-the-miniature-satellite-by-students-from-nttf/ )
