Overview

The UCI CanSat team is a prominent representation of the University of California, Irvine's commitment to pushing the boundaries of student-led engineering projects. Comprised of a dedicated and dynamic group of students, the team participates in the CanSat competition to hone their engineering skills. The competition not only offers an avenue to apply theoretical knowledge but also propels UCI's engineering students into real-world scenarios that mimic the challenges faced by professionals in the industry.

rocket in space

Competition History

  • 4th in the World

    2023 - 2024

  • 14th in the World

    2022 - 2023

  • 29th in the World

    2021 - 2022

  • 7th in the World

    2020 - 2021

  • 23rd in the World

    2019 - 2020

  • 45th in the World

    2018 - 2019

  • History

    UCI AntSat was founded in 2017 by a group of undergraduate students at UC Irvine with the mission to compete in the American Astronautical Society International CanSat Competition.

    Founded in the 2017 - 2018 academic year, UCI CanSat is a specialized undergraduate project within the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE) department at the University of California, Irvine. We participate in the annual CanSat competition, a global engineering challenge to design, build, and launch a space-type system. Each year brings a new mission; for 2022 - 2023, our focus is to create a probe that will be deployed at an altitude of approximately 700m, transmit real-time telemetry and execute a controlled landing using a parachute and aerobraking heat shield. Beyond competition goals, we aim to furnish our members with practical engineering skills. Over the course of three academic quarters, our team transitioned from brainstorming to actual launch, offering hands-on experience in engineering design. Last year, under the guidance of our faculty adviser, Professor Roger Rangel, our team of 10 students placed 14th in the world.

    Competition Timeline

    In a span of one year, our team will advance through several key phases to ensure the success of our CanSat project. Our journey begins with meticulous 'Planning' where we establish objectives, allocate resources, and set deadlines. This is followed by the 'Prototype' phase, in which initial designs are created and evaluated. 'Preliminary Design Review (PDR)' and 'Critical Design Review (CDR)' are the next crucial steps, providing in-depth analyses and adjustments to our design. Subsequent to these reviews, we move to 'Testing' rigorously examining the CanSat under simulated conditions. Finally, all systems are 'Go' for the 'Launch' the crowning event that validates our year-long efforts. We will travel to Virginia to compete against teams around the world, trying to determine which CanSat design performs the best.

    OCT. 20

    PLANNING

    Trade studies, design drafts, year schedule

    AUG. 29

    PROTOTYPE

    Manufacture first prototype, personal tests

    FEB. 02

    PDR

    Preliminary Design Review

    APR. 05

    CDR

    Critical Design Review

    MAY. 24

    TEST

    Competition Environmental Tests

    JUN. 15

    LAUNCH

    Launch Day