Blast off with Thailand’s CanSat world champs
A group of Mattayom 6 students from Assumption College in Bangkok are celebrating victory after their satellite team “Descendere” won the international CanSat Competition 2022 held in the US from June 9-12.
A CanSat is a functional satellite that is miniaturised to reduce costs, meaning they can be constructed by students or anyone interested in satellite technology and development.
CanSats are not meant to be launched into orbit. Instead, they are lifted by rockets to a height of around 1 kilometre to collect data before returning to the ground under a parachute.
Competitors in the annual CanSat Competition, held at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, must follow requirements including design and payload restrictions. This year, a group of Thai high school students defeated CanSat teams from around the globe to become world champions. The Nation invites you to meet the “Descendere” team and travel with them on their path to glory.
Descendere has 8 members – Pitipoom Achapramote, Thasavit Krueklai, Kittipon Amornprasertkij, Krin Kaweewongsunthorn, Krissada Singhachain, Akkhanirut Pandej, Nuchit Vicitkojja, and Suvijak Piyanopharoj.
This is a CanSat built by “Descendere” from Assumption College Bangrak, that won the global CanSat Competition 2022 in the United States.
Descendere comprises eight members who are passionate about engineering design.
Their journey to becoming world champions started in a small lab at the school.
The requirements for the CanSat competition were issued in August last year.
After class, every team member gathered here to design,build and test the CanSat based on the requirements.
The lab also has gaming and exercising corners for members to relax.
It even has beds, to ensure that students are well-rested,and ready to take on the international competition.
Kittipon Amornprasertkij DESCENDERE leader, Said
“The design of our satellite has three main elements:
mechanical, electronic, and programming.”
“We started by drafting the design in a 3D programme, then we printed the prototype with a 3D printer,
before assembling the structure using real materials.”
“After that, we installed a circuit board to control the satellite.”
“Every step of design is based on engineering principles,to make sure that our CanSat can reach the desired height,and descend safely and accurately to the designated point.”
Phachara Phumiprathet, adviser to the school’s SPACE AC Learning Centre, said that Assumption College has been participating in the competition for four years.
Phachara Phumiprathet Adviser to SPACE AC Learning Centre add.
“Winning the CanSat world championship is an important milestone for the team.”
“Their next goal is to participate in the world’s largest rocket and satellite contest in the United States.”
“Some people may think that projects like these benefit only a small group of students.”
“However, these students can contribute vital information to the aerospace field.”
Assumption College established the SPACE AC Learning Centre intending to provide knowledge and innovation in aeronautics and space technology to any institutes and the general public.”
Descendere is one of two high-school teams competing in the CanSat contest, which comprises mostly college students. From their first steps in a small school lab, they now carry great hopes of taking Thailand’s satellite and astronomy fields to a brighter future.
