Meet the team: Icaromenippus 3D

Description of the CanSat missions:

GPS location, flight analysis and 3D mapping of Planetary surface.

Our mission is to have a 3D mapping of the planet’s surface. Two cameras on the CanSat will be filming on appropriate distance between them or alternatively with different shooting angles that will allow having a 3D mapping of the surface. We will collect a series of overlapping photos taken simultaneously in pairs, connecting with a certain GPS signal and defining the coordinates of the area. After recovery those photos will be combined to produce a 3D image of the terrain. We will combine specialized software with software codes we will develop, if needed, during the mission's preparation time, through testing.

To assess the accuracy of the method we will compare the produced 3D images with a 3D map of Andoya made from the terrain relief maps of Adenes. The instruments we use will be strictly tested so that we can be sure that their false will be as small as possible. For the tests we will probably go to the nearby area and use them in environments we know about. GPS data will be used to calculate the CanSat's horizontal and maybe vertical velocity to compare with the vertical velocity, calculated from the pressure sensor, positioning etc.

We will work at our science and the two computer labs of our school. We are granted access at the Geography and Geo-Informatics Laboratory of the Aegean University. The groups will communicate through various social networks for better coordination. Once a week the team will meet at our school’s science lab in order to monitor the project and then assign new tasks. For the secondary mission (3D mapping) we will search the internet for the materials and equipment needed and contact providers to obtain best cost/output ratio according to the project requirements. Equipment and software are also available from the Geography & Geo-Informatics Laboratory of the Aegean University. The expenses will be financed by our school administration, by the school association of parents, the Ministry of Education and various local sources like the University of the Aegean, Municipality of Mytilene, Prefecture of Northern Aegean, Secretariat General for the Aegean & Island Policy etc.

Students learn a rapidly developing technology with many applications in different areas practical and theoretical. The process can be used to 3D map certain Earth terrains which are difficult to map with other means (e.g. canyons) by dropping a CanSat with dual cameras over it or  two CanSats.

Progress

We completed the primary mission part which consists of:

• Primary assembling of the CanSat,
• Testing the Pressure and Temperature Sensors,
• Writing and testing the software code,
• Establishing the CanSat’s telecommunications link with ground station using AGW,
• Storing the data in XL format and processing the Data.
• Also we wrote the software code for the GPS and received and processed its Data as well.
• We created a number of outreach sites such as a facebook page and a blog. Also, our mission is encompassed in the school’s website.
• We had a meeting with the Regional Education Directorate for the funding of our travel by the Department of Education.

We are working on:

Transmitter replacement because of malfunction. We express our gratitude to the Austrian team which sent us a replacement. Also NAROM will provide us with a transmitter upon our arrival.