Week 1

Project Management

Summary of Activities

This week, I focused on setting up my Fab Academy environment, learning about Git version control, and planning my potential final project: EDUCANSAT. This project aims to develop an educational CanSat that allows students to learn about satellite technology, telemetry, and real-time environmental monitoring.

Part1: Project Idea Sketch

What is EDUCANSAT?

A CanSat (short for Can-Satellite) is a miniature satellite built to fit within the size of a standard soda can (350-500ml). It is commonly used in educational settings to introduce students to space technology, satellite communication, and telemetry systems in a hands-on, cost-effective way.

Key Features of a CanSat

📡 Real-World Applications

CanSats provide experience in data collection, telemetry, and satellite operations.
🛠️ Modular & Scalable

CanSats use real satellite principles but on a smaller scale, making them affordable and practical for students.
🚀 Launch & Recovery

CanSats are deployed using rockets, drones, or balloons to simulate real satellite missions. In my case I will use a ballon for deploy
Hands-on experience

Hands-on experience with electronics, sensors, programming, 3d design and data transmission

🛰️ CanSat Full Design

This is the preliminary design of the CanSat, including its modular structure and essential components. The design follows a compact form factor to fit within a standard soda can, ensuring lightweight and efficient deployment.

Cansat Module Structure

A compact satellite-in-a-can that collects and transmits data, including

Temperature
Air Pressure
Humidity
GPS Location
Air Quality & UV Radiation

Designed with modular construction, allowing for easy assembly, maintenance, and component replacement.

Cansat Ground Station

The Ground Station is a 3D-designed system that enables visualization of all environmental variables measured by the CanSat. It provides real-time tracking of the CanSat’s location in the field, ensuring accurate data collection and analysis.

List of Components

This table describes the key components used in the EDUCANSAT CanSat system and their corresponding functions.

Component	Function
ESP32	Main microcontroller for processing and communication.
BMP280 / BME280	Measures atmospheric pressure and temperature.
DHT22	Measures humidity and temperature.
MQ-135	Detects air quality and gas concentration levels.
GUVA-S12SD	UV sensor for measuring ultraviolet radiation.
MPU6050	Gyroscope and accelerometer for motion detection.
GPS Module NEO-6M	Provides real-time location tracking.
LoRa SX1278	Long-range wireless communication module.
Micro SD Card Module	Stores sensor data for later analysis.
LiPo Battery	Provides power to the entire system.
Boost Converter	Regulates voltage levels for stable operation.
Mini Parachute	Ensures safe descent and landing.
Buzzer Module	Audio feedback for alerts and status indication.
PLA / ABS 3D Printing Filament	Used to fabricate the structural components.

Part 2: Project Management

Access and Initial Setup

Logged into GitLab FabCloud using the provided credentials and ensured proper access.
Reviewed the GitLab repository structure, identifying my personal repository and the location of other students' projects.
Explored the available tools, including the issue tracker, project hosting, and GitLab Pages for website deployment.

Local Environment Configuration

Installed Git on my local machine and configured my username and email for version control tracking.
Generated an SSH key, added it to GitLab, and verified secure authentication.
Cloned my repository to my local system, ensuring seamless interaction between local and remote versions.

Creating my first web site

In this section, I will explain how I set up my personal website for the Fab Academy assignments. I used Visual Studio Code with WSL Ubuntu on Windows and a free HTML template called Spectral from HTML5 UP. Below, I detail the steps I followed to configure and customize the website.

Step-by-Step Process

To ensure clarity and structure, I divided the process into four main parts

Setting Up the Working Environment.
Choosing and Downloading a Template
Editing the Template and Organizing the Files
Previewing and Testing the Website

Step 1: Setting Up the Working Environment

Before working on the website, I needed to ensure that my development environment was ready.

1.1 Installing and Configuring WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux)

I used Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) to run Ubuntu inside my Windows machine. This allowed me to use Linux commands seamlessly in Visual Studio Code.

Commands used:

wsl --install

1.2 Installing Visual Studio Code and Connecting to WSL

I installed Visual Studio Code and opened my WSL environment inside it. To do this, I installed the Remote - WSL extension in Visual Studio Code.

Steps

Open Visual Studio Code.
Install the WSL extension
Open the Command Palette pressing f1 and typing in WSL
Open the folder containing the project files and modify the files as required

Step 2: Choosing and Downloading a Template

Instead of designing the website from scratch, I chose a professional-looking free HTML template from HTML5 UP called Spectral (link)

2.1 Installing Visual Studio Code and Connecting to WSL

I downloaded the Spectral template as a .zip file and extracted it inside my project folder.

Step 3: Editing the Template and Organizing the Files

I edited the index.html file to change the website title and content. I opened index.html in Visual Studio Code and modified the code:

Step 4: Previewing and Testing the Website

After editing the template, I needed to preview it before uploading it to GitLab. I used the live server extension for check my changes in my browser.

Final Thoughts

After completing these steps, my personal Fab Academy website was ready. This website will serve as the main hub for my weekly assignments and documentation.

Key Learnings:

Using WSL with Visual Studio Code.
Managing a project folder inside WSL Ubuntu
Customizing an HTML5 template
Running a local development server