The competition, organized by the European Space Agency (ESA), requires the satellites, made by schoolchildren, to perform specific tasks and fit inside a regular-sized soft drink can, hence the name.

The challenge for students is to fit key satellite subsystems, like power, sensors, and communication, into a small volume. The ca-sateliite (CanSat) can either be launched by a rocket to around one kilometer or dropped from a platform, drone, or balloon. The mission begins once it is launched and may involve conducting an experiment, demonstrating technology, or ensuring a safe landing, followed by data analysis.

The Tallinn CanSats, the result of a three-month project, were equipped with parachutes to slow their descent from the 170-meter-high platform.

Building the CanSats required students to learn parachute sewing and skills like 3D printing, as well as programming sensors and the onboard computer.

While on the day, no satellite made contact with the ground, data was recorded on memory cards. Some CanSats landed in the target zone, while others ended up in nearby vegetation.

The eventual competition winners will travel with their instructor to the ESA space center in the Netherlands.

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