Empowering Education: Implementing CanSat Courses for Children to Foster Early Engagement in Space Technology

Roman-Gonzalez A.; Vargas-Cuentas N.I. · Proceedings of the International Astronautical Congress, IAC (2025) · DOI: 10.52202/083097-0125

Resumen

The landscape of childhood education has witnessed a remarkable evolution in recent decades. Three decades ago, the notion of a child proficient in programming would have seemed far-fetched, with programming courses for children virtually non-existent. However, the advent of globalization underscored the imperative for school-aged children to acquire programming skills, leading to the emergence of programming classes tailored for them. Subsequently, robotics once deemed the domain of university-level education, entered the pedagogical arena, with children now equipped to construct and program robots. In a similar vein, the realm of space exploration holds immense educational potential that should not be confined to university settings alone. Instead, it should permeate the school level, nurturing an early interest in space-related concepts. CanSats presents a compelling avenue for introducing children to space science. This paper advocates for the integration of CanSat courses into the educational curriculum in Peru. These courses would familiarize children with the fundamental modules of satellites and empower them to assemble their CanSats. Moreover, each participant would have the opportunity to launch and operate their CanSat independently, fostering a hands-on understanding of space technology from a young age and contributing to its widespread adoption in Peru's educational landscape. Copyright

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Tecnológica de Lima Sur; Universidad de Ciencias y Humanidades