StratoSat-CanSat integrates satellite subsystems—power, telemetry, onboard computer, payload, and recovery—into a miniature 350-gram cylindrical capsule (66mm diameter x 115mm height). Launched via suborbital sounding rocket to an apogee of 1,200 meters, the satellite ejects, stabilizes, and descends through atmospheric boundary layers while conducting vertical environmental profiling, multi-spectral air quality analysis, and real-time FSK/LoRa dual-frequency ground station telemetry.
Access to space and upper-atmospheric research platforms remains cost-prohibitive for academic institutions. High-altitude balloon experiments experience uncontrollable lateral drift across hundreds of kilometers, while traditional orbital satellites cost millions of dollars and take years to launch. There is a critical need for low-cost, repeatable, miniaturized aerospace platforms that validate custom avionics and conduct vertical atmospheric slicing in real time.
Design a ruggedized aerospace avionics stack fitting inside standard CanSat dimensions (66mm diameter, 350g mass).
Implement an autonomous dual-stage recovery system using an active burn-wire Nichrome mechanism to transition from high-speed drogue to landing parachute at 300m AGL.
Gather vertical atmospheric gradient data: barometric pressure, temperature lapse rate, particulate matter (PM2.5/PM10), VOC concentration, and 9-DoF flight dynamics.
Maintain continuous 20 Hz telemetry downlink using long-range 433 MHz LoRa and 868 MHz FSK radios with automated ground-station directional tracking.
The mission profile follows strict aerospace sequencing:
- Structure: CNC-machined carbon fiber bulkheads with aerospace-grade 3D-printed selective laser sintered (SLS) nylon internal support ribs.
- Onboard Computer (OBC): 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 MCU running custom real-time flight software with fault-tolerant state-machine architecture.
- Sensor Payload: BMP390 precision barometer (±3cm altitude resolution), Sensirion particulate matter laser sensor, and STMicroelectronics 9-DoF IMU.
- Ground Station: Dual-axis automated antenna tracking pedestal utilizing GPS-derived azimuth/elevation calculation with high-gain Yagi-Uda antennas.
- Drop Testing: Structural integrity validated via 50-meter UAV drop tests evaluating aerodynamic stability and chute opening shocks.
- Wind Tunnel Testing: Aerodynamic drag coefficient and canard fin stability verified in a subsonic wind tunnel at 40 m/s airspeed.
- Suborbital Rocket Flight: Launched aboard a solid-propellant sounding rocket to an altitude of 1,180 meters with full telemetry recording.
During descent, the CanSat broadcasts JSON-telemetry frames containing altitude, descent velocity, roll/pitch/yaw attitude, battery voltage, and particulate concentration. The ground station software plots live vertical lapse rate atmospheric curves and 3D vehicle orientation in real time.
Testing benchmarked altitude calculation accuracy against onboard GPS, evaluated parachute deployment reliability under high dynamic pressure, and verified continuous RF communication during high-rate body spin (> 120 RPM).
- Apogee Detection Accuracy: Within 0.8 meters of true apex.
- Telemetry Packet Delivery Rate: 99.4% over 1,200m vertical slant range.
- Main Parachute Touchdown Velocity: 4.8 m/s, preventing sensor payload damage.
- Structural Shock Tolerance: Endured 18.2g peak ejection shock without component failure.
- Hardware: STM32F405, SX1276 LoRa, BMP390, SPS30 Particle Sensor, Carbon Fiber Airframe.
- Software: C, FreeRTOS, Python Ground Station GUI (PyQt6), Matplotlib, Leaflet GPS Mapping.
Flight-tested aerospace avionics schematic and 4-layer PCB gerbers.
Autonomous state-machine flight firmware with emergency recovery failsafes.
Python ground-station telemetry receiver and 3D flight visualization application.
Comprehensive atmospheric profiling scientific report from actual rocket launch.
Suborbital scientific research, planetary atmospheric entry probe development, emergency drop-sonde meteorological data collection, and university aerospace engineering education.
All sounding rocket operations adhered to national civil aviation authority airspace clearances (NOTAMs) and model rocketry safety codes, including certified solid-rocket motor handling protocols.
A fully validated, flight-proven suborbital CanSat satellite platform that successfully gathers high-resolution vertical atmospheric scientific data during parachute descent.
Adding active cold-gas thruster or reaction-wheel attitude stabilization for targeted planetary landing simulation, and deploying folding solar wings for extended post-landing surface science missions.
Miniaturizing satellite subsystems into a soda-can form factor for suborbital atmospheric exploration.
An autonomous suborbital CanSat capsule featuring dual-stage parachute recovery, multi-band RF telemetry, and vertical atmospheric profiling avionics launched to an altitude of 1,200 meters.
