To the semi-finals and beyond: CanSat Karl (EEB1 is going to the semi-finals)
The 2026 CanSat competition is starting to get exciting, with semi-final presentations arriving this March 18th. Our EEB1 based team (Karl) has qualified for the semi-finals, now we must try to go all the way.
The CanSat competition
CanSat is an international programme which hosts national competitions every year, and an annual international competition comprising all the national winners. The aim of the project is to give secondary students first-hand experience of a space mission.
Students in teams of six must design, create and test a functional miniature satellite, in the volume of a common 33cl can. If a team qualifies for the finals this satellite will then be launched into the sky, where it will collect data and perform tests.
Competitors must not only create and launch the satellite, but must also analyze the data, present it, and create outreach for the project through social media, presentations and more.
Team Karl – Who are we?
Karl is a multinational EEB1 based team, from the S6 English section competing in the 2025 national Cansat competition. We are six students; Samuel Rakús, Kristóf Kozma, Sam Romero Jiménez, Meredith Clare Zahra, Ajda Bratkovic and Adrian Witte. Since September 2025 we have been designing our CanSat and doing outreach projects (our posters around the school, our instagram @cansat.karl, etc.), alongside our accompanying teachers Mr. Jutier and Ms. Rybaltowska.
At the end of December 2025 we started realising our design and submitted our quarter-final report, exhibiting our primary and secondary missions as well as our progress. A few weeks later, just after the Christmas holidays, we qualified for the semi-finals.
Since then, we have been busy assembling and testing our satellite, as well as continuing our outreach ventures and preparing for the semi-final presentation this March.
What happens next?
With the semi-final presentation arriving this March we will be extra focused on testing and perfecting our satellite in all its functions and making sure it is ready to launch. Meanwhile we are perfecting our presentations and furthering our outreach initiatives with science fairs and local presentations.
If we are chosen as one of the ten finalist teams from Brussels we will move on to the final round, where we will ultimately launch the CanSat alongside all the other teams. This will be the final test and all that will remain for us to do will be the retrieval of our satellite as well as the data analysis.
Our goal as a team is to make it all the way to the final round and produce the best possible results. Our progress can be followed on our social media. We thank all of our teachers and fellow students for the help and support we have received so far along our journey.
Meredith C. Zahra (S4)
