Aleksy Grymek, Stanisław Michalik, Miłosz Słowiński and Piotr Wyżliński,  all students in a Kraków high school, have just won one of the most prestigious competitions organised by the European Space Agency CanSat. 

The OSATeam won the first prize thanks to its prototype of a mini-satellite, defeating nearly a thousand teams from all over Europe.

The whole process required a lot of time and energy from the young quartet. They started by launching. The four gentlemen had a challenging task: designing and building a fully functional mini-satellite prototype. 

Furthermore, they had to find several sponsors as well as establish cooperation with research centres in order to promote their achievements.

One of the main uses of the innovation created by the OSATeam is that their prototype reduces the costs of sampling the spheres of the Earth. 

The team designed a technique for autonomous sampling through multiple small probes equipped with simple sensors. It is worth mentioning that the probes themselves do not need to have expensive and heavy research equipment on board. 

OSATeam undertook atmospheric sampling using an air pump, a rotating needle and an auto-sealing carousel of containers. Probes equipped with this mechanism are then massively fired and, falling on the parachute, collect air samples at various heights, and after landing, they are collected and the samples analysed.

This success shows once more the extent to which young Poles shine with their creativity and innovation. 

Cover photo: Facebook – OSATeam/British Poles

Author: Sebastien Meuwissen