A Teacher's Perspective 

Little did I expect when I embarked on my teaching career that I would be taking a group of students to have their satellite fired upwards 1 km into the sky at a location in Norway within the Arctic Circle. Yet that is what now awaits us.

There are enormous technical challenges for the students and teachers. However it cannot be denied that Cansat is THE most exciting project at Second Level schools in Ireland. Even at Regional level, there was a great sense of achievement when the quadcopter carried our cansat 50m above the astroturf at CIT and data streamed into the laptop. The venue for the National Final was perfect,  set against the backdrop of the giant telescope at Birr Castle. While racing after the students to find the cansat after being ejected from the rocket, as a teacher I had a real sense of satisfaction as this was actual science in action.

The work has intensified. Final decisions must be made about the secondary  mission. The outreach has stepped up a gear.  All  systems go!!

Anne O'Dea