As part of the Angola ICT 2023 event, GGPEN has started the third iteration of a 5-week course on the design, development, and launch of Cansat.
As part of the Angola ICT 2023 event, the Angolan Management Office of the National Space Program (GGPEN) has started the third iteration of a 5-week course on the design, development, and launch of Cansat.
The course will be taught at the Instituto Superior de Tecnologias de Informacao and Communications of the University of Luanda from May 8 to June 14. From more than 15 public and private universities, more than 40 students and lecturers will participate.
Another objective of the course is to provide participants with knowledge of the architecture, integration, and functions of satellite subsystems.
Senior GGPEN engineers will present lectures, and Dr. Taiwo Tejumola, an associate professor at the International Space University, as well as Professor Robert van Zyl, managing director of AAC Space Africa, will give master classes to the participants.
The task of designing, constructing, testing, launching, and running a Cansat will fall to the participants. Additionally, they will process the information obtained from a 330-millimeter can-sized functional replica of a real satellite.
Participants can also launch their Cansats at an altitude greater than 500 metres, test their ground telemetry data, and confirm the mission’s success with the assistance of the Angolan National Airforce.
The Cansat course falls under the purview of the Angolan Space Strategy 2016–2025, pillar 2, which seeks to develop human capacity and raise awareness of using space technology for socioeconomic development in Angola.
Angola is focused on the use of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to support the participants in developing skills in space project engineering, engineering management, system engineering, and problem-solving.
The National Space Program Management Office (GGPEN) is Angola’s government organisation responsible for advocating for the peaceful use of space and carrying out technical space studies.
The purpose of the GGPEN is to create collaboration agreements with technical and scientific institutions in the space domain, ensure the development of national technological and human competencies, and transfer technology and know-how.
Joo Lourenço, the president of Angola, signed a new presidential decree in May 2019 allowing the GGPEN to sign contracts on the country’s behalf for the production of AngoSat-3, which Airbus will construct.