Cansat Competition Guide

2025

Auto Gyro Descender

Rev 1.0d
Oct 31, 2024

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Competition Description................................................................................................................ 5
1.2 Team Selection............................................................................................................................... 6
2. Mission Overview................................................................................................................................. 7
3. Requirements........................................................................................................................................8
3.1 Telemetry, Command, and Simulation Requirements..................................................................14
3.1.1 Telemetry.............................................................................................................................14
3.1.1.1 Telemetry Formats..................................................................................................... 14
3.1.1.2 Telemetry Data Files.................................................................................................. 16
3.1.2.3 On-board Telemetry Storage...................................................................................... 16
3.1.2 Commands.......................................................................................................................... 16
3.1.3 Simulation Mode.................................................................................................................18
3.2 Banned Materials and components.............................................................................................. 19
3.3 Environmental Tests.....................................................................................................................20
4. Team Composition..............................................................................................................................23
4.1 Team Size..................................................................................................................................... 23
4.2 Faculty Advisor............................................................................................................................23
5. Deliverable Items................................................................................................................................23
5.1 Preliminary Design Review......................................................................................................... 24
5.2 Critical Design Review................................................................................................................ 24
5.3 Post Flight Review....................................................................................................................... 25
5.4 Deliverable Submissions and Scheduling.................................................................................... 25
5.5 Slide Format Guidelines...............................................................................................................27
5.6 Disqualification Guidelines..........................................................................................................27
6. Launch Weekend............................................................................................................................ 28
6.1 Schedule....................................................................................................................................... 28
............................................................................................................................................................28
6.2 Flight Readiness Review..............................................................................................................28
......................................................................................................................................................28
6.2.1 FRR Sequence of Events.....................................................................................................28
6.3 Team Member Launch Operations Crew Assignments............................................................... 29
6.4 Mission Operations Manual......................................................................................................... 30
6.5 Launch Schedule.......................................................................................................................... 30
6.6 Competition Operations and Sequence of Events........................................................................31
6.7 Second Flight Rules..................................................................................................................... 31
6.8 Weather Delays............................................................................................................................ 32

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Appendix A Field Safety Rules............................................................................................................. 33
Appendix B Presentation Recommendations..................................................................................... 34
Appendix C Payload Deployment Description.................................................................................... 35
Appendix D Acronyms...........................................................................................................................36
Appendix E Definitions..........................................................................................................................37
Appendix F – Payload Section.............................................................................................................. 39
Appendix G - Competition Calendar................................................................................................... 43

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 Revisions
Date Changes
6/10/2024 Initial guide
8/15/2024 Correction to appendix F. Updated requirement C2.
8/20/2024 Corrected Requirement C9 and Mission summary.
10/15/2024 Corrected S12. Added requirement S20 for teams wanting nose cones to separate
from the payload after payload deployment. Added S21 requirement.
10/17/2024 Updated Optional Commands in 3.1.2.
10/31/2024 Updated C4.

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​ 1. Introduction
The Cansat competition is a design-build-fly competition that provides teams with an
opportunity to experience the design life-cycle of an aerospace system. The Cansat
competition is designed to reflect a typical aerospace program on a small scale and includes
all aspects of an aerospace program from the preliminary design review to post flight review.
The mission and its requirements are designed to reflect various aspects of real world
missions including telemetry, communications, and autonomous operations. Each team is
scored throughout the competition on real-world deliverables such as schedules, design
review presentations, and demonstration flights.

​ 1.1 Competition Description

To control the size of the competition, only three teams per school are allowed to apply to the
competition. It is recommended that schools hold internal design competitions to determine
the three teams to apply. If more than three teams from one school apply, the first three
applications received will be accepted.

The competition is in five phases.

Phase one is the application phase. Teams must submit an application and a $200
competition fee that is non-refundable. The fee is used to offset the cost of rocket motors and
other materials. Applications must be submitted by November 3, 2024. Payments will be
requested in early November and must be paid by the given due date that will be announced.

Phase two is the preliminary design. Teams are to develop designs, prototype, test concepts
and generate a preliminary design review (PDR) slide package using the provided template.
Teams will submit PDR slides by the designated due date in section 5.4. Slides will only be
accepted in PDF format. Teams that do not meet the due date or do not submit in the proper
PDF format will be dropped from the competition. A schedule will be made available on when
to present a subset of the slides. Teams will have a half hour to discuss a subset of the PDR
slides via telecon.

After the PDR reviews have been completed, the score sheets will be reviewed for
completeness and potential errors. The score sheets will be made available to teams. Teams
will have a short time period to review and identify potential errors. Teams must submit errors
within the review period. The identified errors will be reviewed and if agreed, the score sheet
will be updated. Afterwards, a total of 40 teams will be invited to the competition.

Phase three is the critical design. Teams will finalize their design and start ordering
components, manufacturing parts, test subsystems and start developing the flight unit. Teams
will generate a critical design review (CDR) slide package using the provided template. Teams
will submit CDR slides by the designated due date. Slides will only be accepted in PDF
format. Teams that do not meet the due date or do not submit in the proper PDF format will be

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dropped from the competition. A schedule will be made available on when to present a subset
of the slides. Teams will have a half hour to discuss a subset of the CDR slides via telecon.

Phase four is the launch weekend. Friday, teams will be scheduled to present their completed
Cansat for flight readiness review which must be completed in 30 minutes. The Cansat must
be ready to launch at this time. It must be completely assembled and flight ready. Each team
will be scored during the flight readiness review. Teams can only present once at the flight
readiness review at their designated time. Teams late for the review will lose points. Cansats
must pass the drop test, fit check, and battery verification in order to fly. Multiple attempts at
the drop test are allowed until the flight readiness reviews are completed.

Saturday is the launch day where teams will perform final preparations and turn in their
Cansats by 12:00 hours local time. Launch will start at 13:00 hours local time and continue
until all launches are completed. There will be no second flights unless the fault is of the
launch provider and there are spare rockets and rocket motors.

Phase five is the Post Flight Review (PFR). Post Flight Review is a 15 minute presentation of
the flight results and 5 minutes for questions. Awards will be presented at the end of all the
post Flight Reviews.

For teams to receive certificates of accomplishment and be considered for awards, they must
complete all phases of the competition.

Late submissions will not be accepted for any phase and the team will be dropped from the
competition. Internet issues, file issues, email issues, and any other issues will not be
considered. Submit the documents early to be safe.

All scoring and judging results are final. Scoring is set up to be quantitative with little
qualitative scoring to minimize any biases.

The competition is operated by a dedicated group of volunteers who spend their own time
supporting various phases of the competition. Some volunteers spend their own funds to
attend and support the competition while others are graciously supported by their employers.
The competition is designed to provide teams a great educational experience and to minimize
the time of the volunteers. Strict due dates, file templates, and file name formats are required.
Please follow all due dates and all submission requirements.

1.2 Team Selection

Since the competition is sponsored by US organizations, the competition is required to
include at least 20 US teams. During the application phase of the competition, up to 20 teams
per country can participate. If more than 20 apply per country, a random selection will be
made for the 20 teams per country.

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From the top 40 selection, 20 teams are required to be from the US. The remaining 20 teams
can be from other countries. Teams from each country will be ranked only among their
country. Then the top scoring teams from each country will be selected in a round robin
method. The top team from each country will be selected in the first round, then the next top
team from each country will be selected in the second round and the selection is repeated
until 40 teams are selected. This will create the greatest diversity in teams and allow more
countries to participate.

​ 2. Mission Overview
Design a Cansat that consists of a payload and a container that mounts on top of the rocket.
The payload rests inside the container at launch and includes the nose cone as part of the
payload.
The container with the payload shall deploy from the rocket when the rocket reaches peak
altitude and the rocket motor ejection forces a separation. The container with the payload
shall descend at a rate of no more than 20 meters/second using a parachute that
automatically deploys at separation.
At 75% peak altitude, the payload shall separate from the container and descend using an
auto-gyro descent control system until landing. The descent rate shall be 5 meters/second.
A video camera shall show the separation of the payload from the container and the auto-gyro
functioning. A second video camera shall be pointing downward at 45 degrees from nadir
and oriented north during descent and be spin stabilized so that the view of the earth is not
rotating.
The Cansat shall collect sensor data during ascent and descent and transmit the data to a
ground station at a 1 Hz rate. The sensor data shall include interior temperature, battery
voltage, altitude, auto-gyro rotation rate, acceleration, rate, magnetic field, and GPS position.
The Cansat container shall meet the mechanical requirements in section F.

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 3. Requirements

Operational Requirements

Requirement Requirement
Number

C1 The Cansat payload shall function as a nose cone during the rocket
ascent portion of the flight.

C2 The Cansat container shall be mounted on top of the rocket with the
shoulder section inserted into the airframe.

C3 The Cansat payload and container shall be deployed from the rocket when
the rocket motor ejection charge fires.

C4 After deployment, the Cansat payload and container shall descend at 20

meters/second using a parachute that automatically deploys. Error is +/- 3
m/s.

C5 At 75% flight peak altitude, the payload shall be released from the
container.

C6 At 75% peak altitude, the payload shall deploy an auto-gyro descent

control system.

C7 The payload shall descend at 5 meters/second with the auto-gyro descent

control system.

C8 The sensor telemetry shall be transmitted at a 1 Hz rate.

C9 The payload shall record video of the release of the payload from the
container and the operation of the auto-gyro descent control system.

C10 A second video camera shall point in the north direction during descent.

C11 The second camera shall be pointed 45 degrees from the Cansat nadir
direction during descent.

C12 The second video camera shall be spin stabilized so the ground view is not
rotating in the video.

C13 The Cansat payload shall include an audible beacon that is turned on
separately and is independent of the Cansat electronics.

C14 Cost of the Cansat shall be under $1000. Ground support and analysis

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 tools are not included in the cost of the Cansat. Equipment from previous
years shall be included in this cost, based on current market value.

Structural Requirements

Requirement Requirement
Number

S1 The Cansat and container mass shall be 1400 grams +/- 10 grams.

S2 Nose cone shall be symmetrical along the thrust axis.

S3 Nose cone radius shall be exactly 72.2 mm

S4 Nose cone shoulder length shall be a minimum of 50 mm

S5 The nose cone shall be made as a single piece. Segments are not
allowed.

S6 The nose cone shall not have any openings allowing air flow to enter.

S7 The nose cone height shall be a minimum of 76 mm.

S8 Cansat structure must survive 15 Gs vibration

S9 Cansat shall survive 30 G shock.

S10 The container shoulder length shall be 90 to 120 mm.

S11 The container shoulder diameter shall be 136 mm.

S12 Above the shoulder, the container diameter shall be 144.4 mm

S13 The container wall thickness shall be at least 2 mm.

S14 The container length above the shoulder shall be 250 mm +/- 5%.

S15 The Cansat shall perform the function of the nose cone during rocket
ascent.

S16 The Cansat container can be used to restrain any deployable parts of the
Cansat payload but shall allow the Cansat to slide out of the payload

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 section freely.

S17 All electronics and mechanical components shall be hard mounted using
proper mounts such as standoffs, screws, or high performance adhesives.

S18 The Cansat container shall meet all dimensions in section F.

S19 The Cansat container materials shall meet all requirements in section F.

S20 If the nose cone is to separate from the payload after payload deployment,
the nose cone shall descend at no more than 5 meters/sec.

S21 If the nose cone is to separate from the payload after payload deployment,
the nose cone shall be secured to the payload until payload deployment
with a pull force to survive at least 15 Gs acceleration.

Mechanism Requirements

Requirement Requirement
Number

M1 No pyrotechnical or chemical actuators are allowed.

M2 Mechanisms that use heat (e.g., nichrome wire) shall not be exposed to the
outside environment to reduce potential risk of setting the vegetation on
fire.

M3 All mechanisms shall be capable of maintaining their configuration or states

under all forces.

M4 Spring contacts shall not be used for making electrical connections to

batteries. Shock forces can cause momentary disconnects.

Electrical Requirements

Requirement Requirement
Number

E1 Lithium polymer batteries are not allowed.

E2 Battery source may be alkaline, Ni-Cad, Ni-MH or Lithium. Lithium polymer

batteries are not allowed. Lithium cells must be manufactured with a metal
package similar to 18650 cells. Coin cells are allowed.

E3 Easily accessible power switch is required.

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 E4 Power indicator is required.

E5 The Cansat shall operate for a minimum of two hours when integrated into
the rocket.

E6 The audio beacon shall operate on a separate battery.

E7 The audio beacon shall have an easily accessible power switch.

Communications Requirements

Requirement Requirement
Number

X1 XBEE radios shall be used for telemetry. 2.4 GHz Series radios are
allowed. 900 MHz XBEE radios are also allowed.

X2 XBEE radios shall have their NETID/PANID set to their team number.

X3 XBEE radios shall not use broadcast mode.

X4 The Cansat shall transmit telemetry once per second.

X5 The Cansat telemetry shall include altitude, air pressure, temperature,

battery voltage, command echo, and GPS coordinates that include latitude,
longitude, altitude and number of satellites tracked.

Sensor Requirements

Requirement Requirement
Number

SN1 Cansat payload shall measure its altitude using air pressure.

SN2 Cansat payload shall measure its internal temperature.

SN3 Cansat payload shall measure its battery voltage.

SN4 Cansat payload shall track its position using GPS.

SN5 Cansat payload shall measure its acceleration and rotation rates.

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 SN6 Cansat payload shall measure auto-gyro rotation rate.

SN7 Cansat payload shall video record the release of the parachute and
deployment of the auto-gyro at 75% peak altitude.

SN8 Cansat payload shall video record the ground at 45 degrees from nadir
direction during descent.

SN9 The camera video shall be spin stabilized and oriented in the north direction
so the view of the ground is not rotating more than 10 degrees in either
direction.

SN10 The video cameras shall record video in color and with a minimum
resolution of 640x480.

SN11 The Cansat shall measure the magnetic field.

Ground Station Requirements

Requirement Requirement
Number

G1 The ground station shall command the Cansat to calibrate the altitude to
zero when the Cansat is on the launch pad prior to launch.

G2 The ground station shall generate csv files of all sensor data as specified in
the Telemetry Requirements section.

G3 Telemetry shall include mission time with 1 second resolution.

G4 Configuration states such as zero altitude calibration software state shall be

maintained in the event of a processor reset during launch and mission.

G5 Each team shall develop their own ground station.

G6 All telemetry shall be displayed in real time during ascent and descent on
the ground station.

G7 All telemetry shall be displayed in the International System of Units (SI)

and the units shall be indicated on the displays.

G8 Teams shall plot each telemetry data field in real time during flight.

G9 The ground station shall include one laptop computer with a minimum of
two hours of battery operation, XBEE radio and an antenna.

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 G10 The ground station must be portable so the team can be positioned at the
ground station operation site along the flight line. AC power will not be
available at the ground station operation site.

G11 The ground station software shall be able to command the payload to
operate in simulation mode by sending two commands, SIMULATION
ENABLE and SIMULATION ACTIVATE.

G12 When in simulation mode, the ground station shall transmit pressure data
from a csv file provided by the competition at a 1 Hz interval to the Cansat.

G13 The ground station shall use a table top or handheld antenna.

G14 Because the ground station must be viewed in bright sunlight, the displays
shall be designed with that in mind, including using larger fonts (14 point
minimum), bold plot traces and axes, and a dark text on light background
theme.

G15 The ground system shall count the number of received packets. Note that
this number is not equivalent to the transmitted packet counter, but it is the
count of packets successfully received at the ground station for the duration
of the flight.

G16 The ground station shall be able to activate all mechanisms on command.

Flight Software Requirements

Requirement Requirement
Number

F1 The flight software shall maintain a count of packets transmitted which shall
increment with each packet transmission throughout the mission. The
value shall be maintained through processor resets.

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 F2 The Cansat shall maintain mission time throughout the entire mission even
in the event of a processor resets or momentary power loss.

F3 The Cansat shall have its time set by ground command to within one
second UTC time prior to launch.

F4 The flight software shall support simulated flight mode where the ground
station sends air pressure values at a one second interval using a provided
flight profile file.

F5 In simulation mode, the flight software shall use the radio uplink pressure
values in place of the pressure sensor for determining the payload altitude.

F6 The flight software shall only enter simulation mode after it receives the
SIMULATION ENABLE and SIMULATION ACTIVATE commands.

F7 The flight shall include commands to activate all mechanisms. These

commands shall be documented in the mission manual.

​ 3.1 Telemetry, Command, and Simulation Requirements

3.1.1 Telemetry
Upon power up and receipt of the CXON command, the Cansat shall collect the required
telemetry at a one (1) Hz sample rate and transmit the telemetry data to the ground station.
The ASCII format of the telemetry packets are described below. Each telemetry field is
delimited by a comma, and each telemetry packet is terminated by a single carriage return
character. No comma (‘,’) characters should be part of the data fields -- commas are
delimiters only.

3.1.1.1 Telemetry Formats

The Cansat telemetry packet format to be transmitted at one (1) Hz is as follows:
TEAM_ID, MISSION_TIME, PACKET_COUNT, MODE, STATE, ALTITUDE,
TEMPERATURE, PRESSURE, VOLTAGE, GYRO_R, GYRO_P, GYRO_Y, ACCEL_R,
ACCEL_P, ACCEL_Y, MAG_R, MAG_P, MAG_Y, AUTO_GYRO_ROTATION_RATE,
GPS_TIME, GPS_ALTITUDE, GPS_LATITUDE, GPS_LONGITUDE, GPS_SATS,
CMD_ECHO [,,OPTIONAL_DATA]
The telemetry data fields are to be formatted as follows:
1. TEAM_ID is the assigned four digit team identification number. E.g., imaginary team
‘1000’.
2. MISSION_TIME is UTC time in format hh:mm:ss, where hh is hours, mm is minutes,
and ss is seconds. E.g., ‘13:14:02’ indicates 1:14:02 PM.

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3. PACKET_COUNT is the total count of transmitted packets since turn on, which is to be
reset to zero by command when the Cansat is installed in the rocket on the launch pad
at the beginning of the mission and maintained through processor reset.
4. MODE is ‘F’ for flight mode and ‘S’ for simulation mode.

5. STATE is the operating state of the software, which shall be ‘LAUNCH_PAD’,

‘ASCENT’, ‘APOGEE’, ‘DESCENT’, ‘PROBE_RELEASE’, ‘LANDED’). States should
be telemetered as ASCII text which will be reviewed by the judges after the launch in
the .csv files.

6. ALTITUDE is the altitude in meters relative to ground level at the launch site. The
resolution must be 0.1 meters.

7. TEMPERATURE is the temperature in degrees Celsius with a resolution of 0.1

degrees.

8. PRESSURE is the air pressure of the sensor used. Value must be in kPa with a
resolution of 0.1 kPa.

9. VOLTAGE is the voltage of the Cansat power bus with a resolution of 0.1 volts.
10. GYRO_R, GYRO_P, GYRO_Y are the gyro readings in degrees per second for the
roll, pitch, and yaw axes.
11. ACCEL_R, ACCEL_P, ACCEL_Y are the accelerometer readings in degrees per
second squared for the roll, pitch and yaw axes.
12. MAG_R, MAG_P, MAG_Y are magnetometer readings in the roll, pitch and yaw axes
in gauss.

13. AUTO_GYRO_ROTATION_RATE is the rotation rate of the auto-gyro relative to the

Cansat structure with a resolution of 1 degree/second.

14. GPS_TIME is the time from the GPS receiver. The time must be reported in UTC and
have a resolution of one second.

15. GPS_ALTITUDE is the altitude from the GPS receiver in meters above mean sea
level with a resolution of 0.1 meters.

16. GPS_LATITUDE is the latitude from the GPS receiver in decimal degrees with a
resolution of 0.0001 degrees North.

17. GPS_LONGITUDE is the longitude from the GPS receiver in decimal degrees with a
resolution of 0.0001 degrees West.

18. GPS_SATS is the number of GPS satellites being tracked by the GPS receiver. This
must be an integer.

19. CMD_ECHO is the text of the last command received and processed by the Cansat.
For example, CXON or SP101325. See the command section for details of command
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 formats. Do not include commas characters.

20. [,,OPTIONAL_DATA] are zero or more additional fields the team considers important
following two commas, which indicates a blank field. This data must follow the same
format rules (including use of comma characters ‘,’) to facilitate review of the CSV files
by the judges after the mission.
Axes definitions for rate, acceleration, and magnetic sensor data:
The following satellite industry standard definition of the Roll, Pitch, and Yaw axes shall
be used for telemetry data and must be considered when mounting and aligning inertial
measurement units.
When perfectly aligned (zero pointing error on all axes), the positive Yaw axis (+Z)
points towards the earth (nadir direction), the positive Pitch axis (+Y) points south, and
the positive Roll axis (+X) points east.
The camera pointing requirement is due north, which is the negative Pitch -Y direction.

3.1.1.2 Telemetry Data Files

The received telemetry for the entire mission shall be saved on the ground station computer
as comma separated value (.csv) files that will be examined by the competition judges in
Excel. The CSV format should be the same as used by export from Excel.
Teams shall provide the CSV file to the judges immediately after the launch operations
via USB drive.
The CSV files shall include a header specifying the name of each field/column of data in the
file.
The telemetry data files shall be named as follows:
● Flight_<TEAM_ID>.csv
where the team_id is the four digit team id number. For example: Flight_1000.csv is the
required file name for imaginary team 1000.
The ground software shall produce the files, with the correct name, easily from the ground
system user interface, and save them to the provided USB memory stick, which is to be given
to judges before leaving the launch area.

3.1.2.3 On-board Telemetry Storage

It is suggested that teams make use of onboard data storage as backup in case of radio
failure. Only the transmitted telemetry is examined and scored on flight day; however, the
backup data can be used when preparing the Post Flight Review presentation.
3.1.2 Commands
The payload shall receive and process the following commands from the Ground Station:

CX - Payload Telemetry On/Off Command

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 CMD,<TEAM_ID>,CX,<ON_OFF>
Where:
1. CMD and CX are static text.
2. <TEAM ID> is the assigned team identification.
3. <ON_OFF> is the string ‘ON’ to activate the payload telemetry transmissions
and ‘OFF’ to turn off the transmissions.
Example: The command CMD,1000,CX,ON activates payload telemetry transmission,
assuming the team id is 1000.
ST - Set Time
CMD,<TEAM_ID>,ST,<UTC_TIME>|GPS
Where:
4. CMD and ST are static text.
5. <TEAM ID> is the assigned team identification.
6. <UTC_TIME>|GPS is UTC time in the format hh:mm:ss or ‘GPS’ which sets the
flight software time to the current time read from the GPS module.
Example: The command CMD,1000,ST,13:35:59 sets the mission time to the value
given and the command CMD,1000,ST,GPS sets the time to the current GPS time.
Note: It is recommended that the time be set directly from the Ground System time, in
UTC, or from the GPS rather than being typed into the command manually.
SIM - Simulation Mode Control Command
CMD,<TEAM_ID>,SIM,<MODE>
Where:
1. CMD and SIM are static text.
2. <TEAM_ID> is the assigned team identification.
3. <MODE> is the string ‘ENABLE’ to enable the simulation mode, ‘ACTIVATE’ to
activate the simulation mode, or ‘DISABLE’ which both disables and deactivates
the simulation mode.
Example: Both the CMD,1000,SIM,ENABLE and CMD,1000,SIM,ACTIVATE
commands are required to begin simulation mode.
Note: It is advised that care be taken to not allow mixing of simulated and actual
barometric altitude data. This caused at least one failure in the recent launches.
SIMP - Simulated Pressure Data (to be used in Simulation Mode only)

CMD,<TEAM ID>,SIMP,<PRESSURE>
Where:
1. CMD and SIMP are static text.
2. <TEAM ID> is the assigned team identification.
3. <PRESSURE> is the simulated atmospheric pressure data in units of pascals

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 with a resolution of one Pascal.
Example: CMD,1000,SIMP,101325 provides a simulated pressure reading to the
payload (101325 Pascals = approximately sea level). Note: this command is to be
used only in simulation mode.
Note: Pressure values in the SIMP profile are not calibrated to be relative to the
launch site altitude, but are absolute altitudes above sea level.
CAL - Calibrate Altitude to Zero
CMD,<TEAM ID>,CAL
Where:
1. CMD and CAL are static text.
2. <TEAM ID> is the assigned team identification.
<TEAM_ID> is the assigned team identification.The CAL command is to be sent when
the Cansat is installed on the launch pad and causes the flight software to calibrate the
telemetered altitude to 0 meters.

Note: This command also can be used by the flight software to reset and enable
processor reset recovery algorithms. (Note: more than three teams failed to complete
the mission last year because of processor resets during the launch; so, be prepared.)

MEC - Mechanism actuation command

CMD,<TEAM ID>,MEC,<DEVICE>,<ON_OFF>
Where:
1. CMD and MEC are static text.
2. <TEAM ID> is the assigned team identification.
3. <DEVICE> is defined by the team to identify the specific mechanism.
4. <ON_OFF> is the string ‘ON’ to activate the mechanism and ‘OFF’ to turn off
the mechanism.

The MEC command is to be sent to activate a specific mechanism. DEVICE is defined

by the team to identify the specific mechanism.

OPTIONAL - Optional Commands

The team may implement additional commands that are useful for testing or controlling
the Cansat. For example: it is a good idea to implement commands to activate
mechanisms..

Note: commanding during flight is a risky operation as radio links and precise timing
are unreliable; so, autonomous Cansat flight software operation should be the primary
mechanism for mission success.
3.1.3 Simulation Mode
The Cansat payload shall operate in two modes:

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 ● FLIGHT mode where the Cansat operates as described in the Mission Overview
section using actual sensor data, and
● SIMULATION mode where the Cansat receives simulated barometric pressure values
from the Ground Station via SIMP commands and substitutes those values for the
actual pressure sensor reading for calculation of altitude and for use by the flight
software logic.

Simulation Mode does not affect sensor data other than the barometric pressure sensor. In
Simulation Mode, the telemetered pressure sensor data should reflect the commanded
simulation values, not the actual sensor readings.

The purpose of Simulation Mode is to provide a mechanism for testing the Cansat as well as
for demonstrating the Cansat over the full mission profile in the event an actual launch cannot
take place (due to weather or pandemic).

The team’s Ground Station shall have the capability to read a barometric pressure data file
that simulates the mission profile and transmit the values via commands to the Cansat at a
rate of one per second. The pressure profile data file will be provided by the competition
judges, and may vary between teams.

Simulation Mode Concept of Operation

For testing, pre-flight demonstration, and in a contingency where launch operations are not
possible, a profile of barometric pressure data that represents the expected flight profile can
be transmitted by the team’s Ground System at a rate of one sample per second. Upon
receipt, the flight software will substitute the received value for the actual pressure sensor
reading.

The Cansat telemetry operates the same in FLIGHT and SIMULATION mode. So, the values,
other than the pressure and altitude (calculated from the pressure values) will be actual
sensor readings (e.g., actual battery, temperature, and GPS).

Because accidental initiation of SIMULATION mode can endanger the flight mission, two
commands, SIM ENABLE and SIM ACTIVATE, must be received by the flight software before
Simulation mode is activated.

After activation, the flight software monitors the radio link for barometric pressure sensor
commands (SIMP) from the Ground Station and uses the received values as if they were

19
actual barometric pressure readings in the calculation of altitude, determination software
state, and when to release the Cansat.

​ 3.2 Banned Materials and components

1. No foam based beads or other similar bits of foam material that can be dropped and
lost on the ground. This material is dangerous to the livestock that occupy this area.
2. No lithium polymer batteries. The battery is relatively easy to damage and a fire
hazard. We want to avoid setting any parts of the field on fire.

​ 3.3 Environmental Tests

Four tests are to be conducted to test the construction quality and material performance. To
verify test results, teams should provide: 1) Environmental Test Document based on the
provided template file. 2) Videos of the tests performed as specified in the template
document. If using a phone camera, orient the phone sideways for wider video view.
Only one submission will be accepted. Late submissions will not be scored.

1. Drop Test - This test is designed to verify that the parachute and attachment point will
survive the deployment. Component mounts and battery mount will also be tested. The
drop test generates about 30 Gs of shock to the system.
a. Drop Test Description - This test requires a 61 cm non-stretching cord. The test
was developed with a 1/8 thick kevlar cord. One end is secured to an eyebolt
attached to a fixed point, such as ceiling or rigid structure with enough clearance
to accommodate the cord, Cansat, and free space so the Cansat does not hit
the ground. The other end is tied to the parachute. A floor mat or pillow may be
placed under the Cansat for the drop test. The structure must not flex during the
drop test. This test cannot be performed by holding the cord. The cord must be
secured to a solid structure. Holding any part of the test structure is not valid.
b. Drop Test Procedure -
i. Power on Cansat.
ii. Verify telemetry is being received.
iii. Raise Cansat by the attached cord, so that the attachment points of the
cord, on the eye bolt and the parachute, are at the same height.
iv. Release the Cansat.
v. Verify the Cansat did not lose power.
vi. Inspect for any damage, or detached parts.
vii. Verify telemetry is still being received.

20
2. Thermal Test - This test is to verify the Cansat can operate in a hot environment. When
the Cansat is integrated into the rocket and sitting on the launch pad, the sun can heat
up the payload section of the rocket to temperatures up to the mid to upper 30C. This
test will determine if any materials warp, weaken, change characteristics, or fail to
function at temperatures up to 35C.
a. Thermal Test Description - This test requires a method to heat the Cansat to
60C for a period of 2 hours. This will allow the components to rise to heat, and
verify that they continue to function. One way to heat the Cansat is a thermal
chamber; there are a few ways to build a thermal chamber.
i. The simplest is to acquire an insulating cooler, one or more hair dryers
and a thermometer, preferably a remote thermometer such as a
thermocouple or thermistor. Place the Cansat, hair dryer(s) and
thermometer in the cooler. Try to seal any openings. Make sure the hair
dryer does not blow directly on the Cansat. The hair dryer will circulate
and heat the air in the cooler.
ii. Another method is to build a thermal chamber with foam insulation
sheets. Select the sheets that have one side with a foil layer. Build a box
and have one side be a lid. Seal all edges with duct tape. You can make
a hole in the side to run cords and thermocouple through.
iii. It is highly suggested the thermistor or thermocouple be attached to the
Cansat. The purpose is to make sure the Cansat does reach the peak
temperature. The air will reach the peak temperature long before the
Cansat does.
b. Thermal Test Procedure -
i. Place Cansat into a thermal chamber.
ii. Turn on the Cansat.
iii. Close and seal the thermal chamber.
iv. Turn on the heat source.
v. Monitor the temperature and turn off the heat source when the internal
temperature reaches 60C and turn on the heat source when the
temperature drops to 55C.
vi. Maintain the test conditions for two hours.
vii. Turn off the heat source and perform visual inspection and any functional
tests to verify the Cansat survived the thermal exposure and can operate
as expected.
viii. With the Cansat still hot, test any mechanisms and structures to make
sure the integrity has not been compromised. Take precautions to avoid
injury.
ix. Verify epoxy joints and composite materials still maintain their strengths.

21
3. Vibration Test - This test is designed to verify the mounting integrity of all components,
mounting connections, structural integrity, and battery connections.
a. Vibration Test Description - The test uses a random orbital sander. The sander
is a hand held power tool where the sanding head moves in a random pattern,
not spinning. Random orbital sanders operate at fixed orbits per minute (opm)
ranging from 12,000 to 14,000 opm. That translates to 200 to 233 Hz. This test
takes advantage of the power up and power down phases of the sander. The
sander does not instantly turn on at 14,000 opm, it takes at most a second to
get up to speed. That transition time can hit some resonances of the Cansat.
This test requires the sander to be cycled regularly over a one minute duration
exposing the Cansat to vibrations from 0 Hz to 233 Hz. The amount of shaking
generated by the sander is around 20 to 29 Gs. Do not use a disc sander that
just spins.
i. One setup for the test is to secure the sander, upside down, via a bench
vise; the Cansat should be secured where the sand-paper is installed.
The bench vise must be secured to a table. The vise cannot be allowed
to move freely and the sander cannot be held by hand. The model
number of the sander must be provided in the documentation.
b. Vibration Test Procedure -
i. Power on the Cansat.
ii. Verify accelerometer data is being collected.
iii. Power up the sander.
iv. Once the sander is up to full speed, wait 5 seconds.
v. Power down the sander to a full stop.
vi. Repeat steps iii to v four more times.
vii. Inspect the Cansat for damage and functionality.
viii. Verify accelerometer data is still being collected.
ix. Power down Cansat.
4. Vacuum Test - This test is designed to verify deployment operation of the payload(s). A
vacuum chamber can be simply constructed using a bucket or pail of 5 gallons or 18+
litres. A lid can be used or a ¼ inch or 6 mm thick sheet of polycarbonate can be
placed on top of the bucket. Do not use acrylic as that can shatter. A vacuum cleaner
or shop vacuum can be used to pull a vacuum.
i. Suspend the fully configured and powered Cansat in the vacuum
chamber.
ii. Turn on the vacuum to start pulling a vacuum.
iii. Monitor the telemetry and stop the vacuum when the peak altitude has
been reached.

22
iv. Let the air enter the vacuum chamber slowly and monitor the operation of
the Cansat.
v. Collect and save telemetry
vi. Make the saved telemetry available for the judges to review.
vii. Show in video that all mechanisms activated based on altitude changes.

23
​ 4. Team Composition
Students currently enrolled in undergraduate degree programs, or students having graduated
from such programs since the start of the current competition cycle, are counted as
undergraduate students.

Students currently enrolled in post-graduate degree programs (MS, PhD), or students having
entered such programs since the start of the current competition cycle, are counted as
graduate students.

​ 4.1 Team Size

Each team shall consist of between 3 and 10 students (undergraduate teams) from an
accredited college or university. Teams may consist entirely of undergraduate students
(undergraduate teams), entirely of graduate students (grad teams), or a combination of the
two (mixed teams). Graduate teams shall consist of no more than 5 students. Mixed teams
shall consist of no more than 7 undergraduate students and 3 graduate students.

Teams from the same school must develop their designs independently and not copy from
other teams. Bulk purchasing of materials is allowed such as batteries and raw materials for
construction. Sharing tools and services are allowed. Designs must originate from within the
team.

There shall be no more than three teams from any one school.

​ 4.2 Faculty Advisor

Each team must have a faculty advisor. The role of the faculty advisor is to:
● Provide a point of contact for the team, both with the university and the competition.
● Aid teams with logistics such as arranging conference rooms, laboratory resources,
etc.
● Providing general guidance throughout the competition.

The faculty advisor shall not:

● Make design decisions or direct recommendations.
● Participate in more than an oversight role during reviews.

​ 5. Deliverable Items
Teams will be evaluated based on a series of deliverable items provided at various stages of
the development. The deliverable items are selected to provide representative real-world
milestones for tracking the Cansat development and ensuring team success.

24
​ 5.1 Preliminary Design Review
The PDR is a “multi-disciplinary technical review to ensure that the system under review can
proceed into detailed design, and can meet the stated performance requirements within cost
(program budget), schedule (program schedule), risk, and other system constraints”. The
Cansat PDR shall demonstrate:

● An understanding of the Cansat mission requirements

● Allocation and derivation of system and subsystem requirements
● Definition of the Cansat concept of operations
● Overview of preliminary design that meets specified requirements
● Results of, or identification of, necessary trades to support preliminary design. While it
is ideal to have completed trades prior to the preliminary design, it is not necessary.
● Results of, or identification of, necessary prototyping or testing efforts necessary to
support or finalize the preliminary design.
● Preliminary budget
● Detailed development schedule

Preliminary design reviews shall be conducted via teleconference coordinated by the team
lead(s). The PDR presentations shall be less than 30 minutes in duration including time for
questions. Presentation reviewers shall be permitted to ask questions during the presentation
(i.e., questions are not held until the end of the presentation).

The PDR shall follow the presentation template posted on the Cansat Competition website.

​ 5.2 Critical Design Review

The CDR is “a multi-disciplined technical review to ensure that the system under review can
proceed into system fabrication, demonstration, and test; and can meet the stated
performance requirements within cost (program budget), schedule (program schedule), risk,
and other system constraints”. The CDR shall demonstrate:

● All PDR level requirement TBDs and TBRs shall be resolved

● Refinement of the Cansat CONOP
● Results of detailed design and analysis for each subsystem
● Verification that detailed design meets system and subsystem level requirements
● Identification of subsystem and system level tests necessary for requirements
verification
● Results of requirements verification tests completed to date
● Overview of mission operations
● Preliminary launch day sequence of events
● Revised budget
25
 ● Updated development schedule

Critical design reviews shall be conducted via teleconference coordinated by the team
lead(s). The CDR presentations shall be less than 30 minutes in duration including time for
questions. Presentation reviewers shall be permitted to ask questions during the presentation
(i.e., questions are not held until the end of the presentation).

The CDR shall follow the presentation template specified in the "Cansat CDR Outline"
document available on the Cansat Competition website. Extra material in the form of backup
slides is permitted.

Each section of the CDR shall be scored in accordance with the values listed in the outline.
The CDR shall contribute to the total evaluation of the Cansat design according to the values
listed in the section Evaluation and Scoring.

​ 5.3 Post Flight Review

The PFR provides an assessment of flight operations and results of the demonstration flight.
The PFR provides an assessment of successful and unsuccessful flight operations. The PFR
shall provide:

● Overview of mission objectives and Cansat design

● Comparison of planned and actual CONOPS and SOE
● Raw and processed data from flight operations
● Failure analysis and assessment (for unsuccessful mission objectives)

Post Flight Reviews shall be conducted the day following the demonstration flight activities,
unless flight operations are canceled due to weather. Presentations shall be limited to 20
minutes, including questions.

Each section of the PFR shall be scored in accordance with the values listed in the outline.
The PFR shall contribute to the total evaluation of the Cansat design according to the values
listed in the section Evaluation and Scoring.

Post Flight Review presentations shall be submitted by 9:30 AM to the judges. There will be
two presentation rooms. Teams will be pre-assigned to the presentation room. Each team will
be given a thumb drive. Teams are to install their PFR slides on the thumb drive and deliver
the thumb drive to the designated location between 9 AM and 9:30 AM Sunday. Teams
delivering after 9:30 AM will lose points. This is done to make sure all teams have the same
amount of time to prepare for PFR.

​ 5.4 Deliverable Submissions and Scheduling

All deliverable items shall be submitted to the competition email by the dates listed in Table 1.

26
All deliverable items shall be submitted in PDF format using the naming convention listed in
Table 1 where # corresponds to the assigned team number for each team and v# is a unique
revision number for the review package that can be used to track revisions. For example, a
submission for imaginary team number 1000 of version 2 of the PDR package would be
named Cansat2024_1000_pdr_v02.pdf. Note that adherence to the filename and format
specification is scored during the competition.

If you resubmit your presentation, you must increment the version number otherwise the
previous version may be used. If so, scoring will reflect the previous version. With a large
number of submissions and resubmissions, it is not possible to track correctly without using
the version numbers.

Presentations will be scheduled after submission of the document. A calendar of available

time slots will be sent to all teams. Each team is to send to the competition email a list of
three time slots. The team will be notified of which time slot they are assigned.

Updated presentations will not be accepted after the deadline. It is understood and expected
that changes will occur between document submission and the presentation time. The scoring
is based on the quality of the presentation and understanding of the competition
requirements. There will be no point loss due to changes in the design between document
submission time and the presentation time.

Table 1: Deliverable item due dates

Deliverable
Material Due Required Filename Format Due Date
PDR Cansat2024_XXXX_pdr_vYY.pdf 01/31/2025 23:59:59 UTC
CDR Cansat2024_XXXX_cdr_vYY.pdf 03/28/2025 23:59:59 UTC
Environmental Test Cansat2024_xxxx_env.pdf 5/23/2025 23:59:59 UTC
Document
Flight Telemetry Data Flight_XXXX_.csv for Science 06/07/25
Payload.
PFR Cansat2024_XXXX_pfr_vYY.pdf 06/08/2025 09:30:00 Local

XXXX is the team number. YY is the revision number. Use this file format or your team will
be removed from the competition. Files are to be in PDF format. No other formats will
be accepted. Any submission after the deadline will be ignored.

At the end of the competition, the PDR, CDR, and PFR packages may be placed on the
website for reference in subsequent years.

27
​ 5.5 Slide Format Guidelines
The following guidelines shall be used when developing the presentation material:
● Use the template made available. Failure to do so will result in loss of points.
● All slides shall have simple white backgrounds. This helps reduce the file sizes and
makes the slides easier to read.
● All slides shall have page numbers in the footer. This is to allow for easier referencing
of material during the reviews.
● All slides shall list the presenter’s name in the footer. This provides all the reviewers
with an identity as to who is presenting the material.
● No embedded files or movies shall be included in the presentations. Not all reviewers
will be able to access or view movies during the reviews due to network security
settings at the various organizations involved.
● Each line-item in the review outlines shall correspond to a dedicated slide. This may
result in slides with single bullets on them, however, this makes it easier for the
reviewers to follow the presentation.

​ 5.6 Disqualification Guidelines

The following are grounds for removal from the competition.
1. Any team found to be copying a PDR/CDR document from a previous competition will
be disqualified from the competition.
2. Any team not using the current mission guide will be disqualified.
3. Any team not meeting the basic competition requirements by CDR will be disqualified.
4. Any team submitting a PDR or CDR document that is not at least 70% complete or a
score of less than 70% will be disqualified.
5. Teams not demonstrating an understanding of the requirements of the competition will
be disqualified.
6. Any team copying slides, content and designs from other teams will be disqualified.
7. Teams not submitting PDR and CDR documents in the required PDF format and file
name convention as stated in the competition guide will be disqualified.
8. Teams not submitting PDR and CDR documents by the due dates will be disqualified.
9. Teams not scheduling presentation times by the specified date will be disqualified.
10. Teams not attending the PDR and CDR teleconference within 15 minutes of the set
time will be disqualified. Find a phone that works. It can be a computer, landline or
mobile phone.
11. Teams exceeding 10 members at any time during the competition.
12. Excessive arguing with judges or any staff.

28
6. Launch Weekend

​ 6.1 Schedule
All times are referenced to eastern daylight time.
The competition starts Thursday and ends Sunday evening.
The preflight briefing will be held Thursday.
Flight readiness review and safety inspection will occur on Friday starting at 12 pm.
Saturday will be the launch day unless weather causes a postponement.
Sunday will be Post Flight Review presentations.
A detailed schedule will be provided at a later date.

​ 6.2 Flight Readiness Review

On Friday, teams are required to have their Cansats inspected for flight worthiness. Each
team will be assigned a one half hour time slot to present their Cansat. This means the
Cansat must be completed, built and ready to launch at the flight readiness review. A ball of
wires and boards does not constitute flight ready. To emphasize, when presented at the Flight
Readiness Review (FRR), it must be in a state where it can be turned on and placed into a
rocket for immediate launch and be fully operational. Flight Readiness Review will be
scored once.
​
​ 6.2.1 FRR Sequence of Events
Teams must be prepared to demonstrate the ground station.

The first test at the FRR will be the drop test. The Cansat must be in flight configuration and
will be subjected to the drop test. If the test fails, the team must make repairs before being
allowed to fly. The Cansat must pass the drop test in order to be launched.

The second test will verify communications with the Cansat and demonstrate the ground
station software. The ground station software operations will be scored at this time. The
ground station must show data being plotted in real time.

The Cansat will then be inspected for safety. The structure will be reviewed and determined if
it is flight worthy. The mounting of the electronics and sensors will be reviewed. Mechanisms
will be reviewed. Hazards will be identified such as heating elements exposed to the outside,
etc.

If any Cansat is determined to not be flight ready, the team has until their flight the next day to

29
make repairs and modifications. This is done to make sure your Cansat is completed before
coming to the competition and for the safety of all people on the field.

Safety is the highest priority. Any Cansat deemed not flight worthy will not be flown. The
team will lose all flight day points.

Crew assignments must be submitted at the flight readiness review in the Mission Operations
Manual. The mission control officer will be given an identification so the flight coordinator and
launch control officer knows who the mission control officer is. The mission operations manual
will be reviewed at the FRR.

​ 6.3 Team Member Launch Operations Crew Assignments

Crew assignments must be submitted at the flight readiness review. The mission control
officer will be given an identification so the flight coordinator and launch control officer knows
who the mission control officer is.

The mission operations manual will be reviewed at the flight readiness review.

Team Member Launch Operations Crew Assignments

In order to have a successful launch, teams need to coordinate among themselves and with
the flight coordinator. Team members need to be assigned to specific tasks and develop a
checklist for a successful flight. The following task assignments must be delegated:

Mission Control Officer - This is a single person who is responsible for managing the team
at the time of the launch. This person must verify with the ground station crew everything is
ready. This person will do the countdown starting at 5. The rocket will be launched after the
count reaches 1.

Ground Station Crew - This is one or more persons who is responsible for monitoring the
ground station for telemetry reception and issuing commands to the Cansat. Only the ground
station crew should be at the ground station since there is limited space.

Recovery Crew - This is one or two persons only responsible for tracking the Cansat and
going out into the field for recovery. The recovery crew is responsible for returning the Cansat
to the judges at check-in with any required payload still inside. The Cansat cannot be
disassembled before presenting the Cansat to the judges for review and scoring or no points
will be awarded.

Cansat Crew - This is one or more persons responsible for preparing the Cansat ,integrating
it into the rocket, and verifying its status.

Team members can take on multiple roles except for the Mission Control Officer. The Mission
30
Control Officer should be coordinating all efforts and interacting with the flight coordinator as
needed. It is highly recommended that a checklist be developed that steps the crews through
the preparation, integration, and flight operations.

Crew assignments must be submitted at the flight readiness review.

​ 6.4 Mission Operations Manual

Each team is required to assemble a mission operations manual. The mission operations
manual includes five checklists/operations procedures to be created by the team. The
checklists are for configuring the ground station, preparing the Cansat, and integrating the
Cansat into the rocket. The launch preparation procedures, launch procedure, and removal
procedure are to be provided. Additional steps can be added by the team. The document is
available for download and modification. Each section of the mission operations manual must
start on its own page. Pages should be numbered and a table of contents is to be included.

The team must have the mission operations manual assembled into a three ring binder. The
mission control officer must use the manual during launch. The mission control operator shall
go to the microphone at the launch site and announce their team and go through their launch
procedure which will include the countdown to the launch.

​ 6.5 Launch Schedule

All times are local time.
The launch will start at 1pm local time. All Cansats are to be submitted by noon. The time
period is from 8am to 12pm local time and is available for launch preparations and check in.
This is the time to prepare antennas, ground stations, and final Cansat tests and
preparations.
Cansats must be submitted at the check-in by noon. Only one or two team members must be
in line with the completed Cansat by noon. Teams who submit Cansats after the noon
deadline will lose 100 points from launch day points. Cansats must be in flight ready
condition in order to be in line. Teams cannot be in line while working on the Cansat. The
Cansat must be in the stowed configuration and off when submitted. Teams will be kicked out
of the check-in line if they are seen working on their Cansat or their Cansat is not fully
assembled in the stowed configuration.
The launch will start at 1pm and will be done in groups of five. Each team will be assigned a
round which will be scheduled in one half hour increments. 15 minutes before the launch
round, the teams assigned to the round shall retrieve their Cansat, turn it on and insert it into
the rocket payload. Cansats shall not be disassembled at this stage. The Cansat must be
flight ready and the only thing that can be done to the Cansat is to turn on the Cansat with the
power switch. Any team that does not launch in their scheduled launch round will lose an
additional 50 points. Any team that requires them to unload their Cansat from the rocket after
the rocket is mounted on the launch pad will lose an additional 50 points. Any team that
requires disassembly of their Cansat will lose an additional 100 points.

31
Each team will be given a thumb drive to upload their ground station data after they have
completed their flight operations. The thumb drive must be submitted to the judging table
before leaving the field.

​ 6.6 Competition Operations and Sequence of Events

Details of flight day operations shall be provided at the Pre-Flight Brief. An overview of the
flight day operations include the following activities:

1. Arrive at launch site

2. Prepare Cansat for turn in. Make it flight ready and perform any tests.
3. Turn in Cansat at the check-in table by noon. It will be weighed and fit checked and
stored in the stowed configuration in the off state until rocket preparation time.
4. Upon the team round, the team will collect their Cansat and load it into a rocket.
5. Verify the Cansat is communicating with the ground station.
6. Take the rocket with the ground station to the assigned launch pad. A staff member will
install the rocket on the launch pad.
7. When it is time to launch, a judge will come by the ground station to monitor the ground
station operation.
8. The team mission control officer will go to the launch control table and execute the
launch procedures with the flight coordinator providing oversight.
9. Ground station crew will perform all required flight operations.
10. After all Cansats have launched for the current half hour round, team recovery
personnel can head out to recover.
11. Ground station crew must clear out of the ground station area to allow the next round
ground stations to set up.
12. Ground station crew must turn in the thumb drive with any ground station data to the
ground station judge. The thumb drive shall contain only the telemetry received from
the ground station. Videos are to be presented at PFR.
13. Recovery crew must return the Cansat to check-in to complete the final judging
requirements.

​ 6.7 Second Flight Rules

Second flights are rare but do occasionally happen. The following conditions will qualify for a
second flight.
1. Rocket engine failure, engine failure causes parachute not to deploy.
2. Rocket parachute failure. Parachute never deployed from the rocket.

A team whose Cansat is destroyed due to a rocket failure will receive all launch day points
only if they passed the drop test, the fit check, received all points on the FRR test, and had
telemetry during the whole flight which includes ascent and descent or until a catastrophic
rocket failure.

32
Cansats that do not deploy from the rocket are not qualified for a second fight or all launch
day points. It is up to the team to make sure their Cansat can deploy from the payload section
of the rocket since the Cansat also operates as the nose cone.

​ 6.8 Weather Delays

If the Saturday launch gets rained out, Cansat demonstrations shall be performed Saturday
using the launch schedule. The demonstration will require the drop test followed by the
simulation demonstration where simulated pressure data is transmitted to the Cansat.
If Sunday is clear, the launches will be performed and the PFR will be canceled.
If Saturday and Sunday are rained out, the demonstration will be performed Saturday and the
PFR will be on Sunday.

33
​ Appendix A Field Safety Rules

1. Consumption of alcohol is not allowed.

2. Smoking is only allowed at designated areas. If anyone is caught smoking where it is
not allowed, the landowner can throw you off the field.
3. Do not catch rockets or Cansats out of the air.
4. Stay behind the designated range line unless the range safety officer (RSO) or launch
control officer (LCO) or flight coordinator has given permission for you to put your
rocket on your assigned pad.
5. Pay attention at all times. Every launch is potentially hazardous.
6. If a “heads up” launch is announced, you must be standing and facing the launch pad.
7. Do not retrieve a rocket from the range unless the LCO has given you permission to
do so.
8. Everyone must be alert when a “heads up!” is called and be ready to move.
9. Do not litter. Do not throw trash on the ground anywhere on the field. We have been
invited to use the land owner's field and should treat it with respect. Any team caught
throwing trash on the ground anywhere will be disqualified from the competition and
the school will be notified of the disqualification. The landowner can order the team to
leave the property and enforce the order.
10. No student or team drones or flying vehicles are allowed.

34
​ Appendix B Presentation Recommendations
The following recommendations for presentation content and layout are being provided based
on past experiences of the judges. These recommendations are not required to be followed
but make it easier for the judges to review the material presented.

1. Use a consistent table format throughout the various subsystems when presenting
requirements, component trades, and changes since previous reviews. Using a
standard table format makes it easier for the judges to find the information in the table
quickly since all tables are formatted the same.
2. During the CDR, the Changes Since PDR slides should use a table that contains a
discussion of what the state of the design was at PDR, what it is at CDR, and what the
rationale of the change was. Details of the change can be discussed in subsequent
slides so an in-depth discussion is not always necessary.
3. Include the class year (freshman, sophomore, etc.) and major of each team member
for reference. This doesn't play into the scoring of the team, however, it is often nice
for the reviewer to know the status of the team members.
4. Be sure to follow the PDR and CDR outlines very carefully. Provide at least one chart
for each scored item in the outline; this makes it easier for the judges to follow the
presentation and confirm the required information is provided. In the presentation, be
sure to address the questions and topics listed in the "description" column of the
presentation outline -- those are the key points the judges are looking for.
5. Be clear which optional requirements, if any, are to be included in the design.
6. Be detailed in test descriptions. Identify specific tests, what is going to be done, and
the pass/fail criteria.

35
​ Appendix C Payload Deployment Description

The Cansat will be mounted on top of the payload section with the required shoulder inserted into the
airframe of the payload section along with any other part of the Cansat.

The rocket motor has a delay grain that starts burning when the rocket motor is ignited. The delay grain
burns for 10 seconds on a J425 or I280 Aerotech motor and then ignites the black powder charge that
forces the rocket to separate into two parts and deploy the rocket’s parachute. At this time, the Cansat
should be pushed out or fall out of the payload section and start its descent. The rocket will descend on
its own parachute.

36
​ Appendix D Acronyms

A Analysis

CDR Critical Design Review

CONOP Concept of Operations

D Demonstration

DCS Descent Control System

FRR Flight Readiness Review

GCS Ground Control Station

HW Hardware

HWR Hardware Review

I Inspection

LCO Launch Control Officer

PDR Preliminary Design Review

PFB Pre Flight Briefing

PFR Post Flight Review

RPM Revolutions Per Minute

RSO Range Safety Officer

SOE Sequence of Events

T Test

TBD To Be Determined

TBR To Be Resolved

VM Verification method

37
​ Appendix E Definitions

Analysis Verification method that utilizes evaluation of data generated by

accepted analytical techniques or simulations under defined conditions
to show the item will meet the specified requirements.

CDR A multi-disciplined technical review to ensure that the system under

review can proceed into system fabrication, demonstration, and test;
and can meet the stated performance requirements within cost
(program budget), schedule (program schedule), risk, and other
system constraints.

CONOP Describes what the system will do and the way the system works from
the operator’s perspective. The CONOP is a high level description that
should include a top-level block diagram.

Demonstration Verification method that utilizes a qualitative exhibition of functional

performance, usually accomplished with no or minimal
instrumentation.

Inspection Verification method that utilizes an examination of the item against

applicable documentation to confirm compliance with requirements.

Need Date Latest date a component or element (software, etc.) must be received
or completed in order to not impact the end completion date.

PDR A multi-disciplined technical review to ensure that the system under

review can proceed into detailed design, and can meet the stated
performance requirements within cost (program budget), schedule
(program schedule), risk, and other system constraints.

Shall Verb used to indicate a requirement is binding. All shall statements

require verification.

Should Verb used to define a goal or non-mandatory provision.

Test Verification method utilizing operation of all or part of the item under
controlled conditions, either real or simulated, to determine that the
quantitative design or performance requirements have been met.

To Be Determined An item or parameter that has not been specified at the time of
document release.

To Be Resolved An item or parameter that is preliminary or uncertain at the time of

document release and for which a final value is to be specified at a
later time.

Validation Confirms that the system, as built (or as it will be built), satisfies the
user’s needs. Confirmation you built the right thing.

Verification Confirms that the system, its elements, its interfaces, and incremental
work products satisfy their requirements. Confirmation you built the

38
 system right.

Will Verb used to reference a binding or hard requirement elsewhere in the

document text.

39
​ Appendix F – Payload Section
The Cansat shall consist of two parts, the payload and the container. The container is defined here and
is part of the rocket. A step CAD model will be provided as an example or used as is. The container
consists of two parts. The disc plate shall be made of plywood of at least 6 mm thickness. A ¼ inch or
similar size eyebolt shall be installed in the center with a fender washer on each side and a nylon lock
nut.
The container shall be 3D printed with a shoulder with a length of 90 to 120 mm and a diameter of 136
mm. The container shall be wider at 144.4 mm diameter above the shoulder and be 250 mm tall. The
thickness of the container walls shall be at least 2 mm.
The interior volume of the container and shoulder is available for the payload to occupy. The interior of
the container can include other structures and mechanisms to support the stowing of the payload. The
exterior cannot be changed.
Two vent holes of at least 6 mm diameter are required in the container wall to help equalize air pressure
during ascent.
A test container was designed and 3D printed with PLA+ filament manufactured by Inland. It was
designed as two pieces and held together with four 4-40 screws or M3 nuts. The screw head is located
outside the container.
The plywood disk is attached to the 3D printed container using four 4-40 screws, washers, and nuts or
M3 screws, washers, and nuts.
The purpose of the wood disk is to provide a solid structure for the eyebolt which will be attached to a
parachute. The wood disk handles the deployment shock through the eyebolt.
The Cansat container is the payload section of the rocket. When the rocket reaches apogee and the
ejection charge fires, the Cansat container will be pushed out of the rocket along with its own
parachute. The rocket will deploy its own parachute. The Container shall descend with its own
parachute.

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Container Design

41
External Dimensions

42
 Container Installed in Payload Section of Rocket

Link to the rocket kit:

https://www.locprecision.com/product/minie-mag/
The rocket motor used will either be an Aerotech I280 or J425..

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Appendix G - Competition Calendar

Date Action

8/12/2024 Competition Guide is posted.

9/1/2024 Application is open to teams.

11/1/2024 Applications are closed.

12/15/2024 Application payments closed.

1/15 - 1/31/2025 PDR Time slot selection.

1/31/2025 PDR documents due by 23:59:59 UTC.

2/3/25-2/21/25 PDR presentations.

3/3/2025 Score sheets reviewed and sent to teams

3/3-3/7 Teams review and identify errors

3/12/2025 The top 40 teams are selected and invitation letters are sent out.

3/15 - 3/28/2025 CDR Time slot selection.

3/28/2025 CDR documents due by 23:59:59 UTC.

4/7/25-4/25/25 CDR presentations.

5/9/2025 CDR results posted.

5/23/2025 Environmental Test Documents Due.

6/6/2025 Flight Readiness Review

6/7/2025 Launch Date

6/8/2025 Post Flight Review, Awards

44