New Mexico Space Grant ConsortiumStudent Launch Program

Provide annual access to space for student experiments from

Spaceport America

Overview• Video• Examples of students experiments from 2011• 2012 Experiment Competition• Schedule• Proposal Form• Parts list• Patch competition• Website

2012 Experiment Competition• Purpose – select student experiments that will

be flown to space from Spaceport America• Launch Date – June 2012• Competitions include

– Alternative fuel (algae)– Form factor– Open design

Alternative FuelFlight Question: Is it possible to take algae into space?• Students will design an experiment to take

algae to space, determine if it is still alive upon return.

• Students will determine what tests to do on the algae to determine if it survived the flight.

Flexible Form FactorStudents will design and experiment to answer the question: Is it possible to design a flexible container that can carry experiments in space for a variety of vehicles that meets flight requirements?

Open DesignDesigns for experiments of students‘ choice will also be accepted. Experiments must use the environment of space and answer a scientific or engineering problem.

Suggested Experiment Ideas• Solar Radiation – How does radiation

change as we get higher altitude• Light – How does atmosphere filter light

at different altitudes• Acceleration of the rocket

Schedule• Teacher Workshop – January 21, 2012• Proposal Due from Teachers – February 17, 2012• Proposal reviewed by TAC – Feedback to Teachers –

February 24, 2012• Students Build and Test Experiments – February 27, 2012 -

April 6, 2012• Flight Readiness Review (FRR) – April 6, 2012• FRR Feedback to Teachers – April 13, 2012• Payloads due to NMSGC – May 1, 2012• Launch Event – June 2012• Final Report

Proposal Analysis Review Student Launch Project

Experiment Name

School NameTeacher NameStudent Names

Mission Overview

• What is your mission objective?• What do you expect to prove, discover, or learn

from your experiment?• What is your hypothesis• Brief overview of underlying science/theory• What other related research/experimentation has

been done in the past?

Experiment Description

• Describe your experiment – What will it do• What is the purpose of your experiment• What kind of data will you collect• How will you collect data

Experiment Layout

• Draw the dimensions of your experiment and how it will fit onto the experiment plate. This plate is 9.5” in diameter, with four mounting holes. These mounting holes need to be avoided because they are used for mounting the plate in the rocket. Mounting holes may not be moved.

• Be as detailed as possible with your layout.

• Provide a clear picture of how your experiment will fit onto the plate.

Test Plans

• What testing do you plan to perform on your payload pre-flight?

• What is required to complete testing?• Potential points of failure and effects of the

failure. How will you recover from the failure?

Parts List

• Complete list of all items you will need to buy for your experiment – make as complete a list as possible

• Lead times (This can make or break a project)• Cost (Don’t forget to consider shipping and tax)• If you need batteries you should plan a three sets of

batteries (testing, launch, download)• Algae will be provided

Payload Canister Compliance

• Height in Inches (Experiment must be less than 1.5” in height)

– Please be very accurate and pay specific attention to the height restriction. No payload will be accepted if it does not fit into the rocket

– Payloads will be mounted on top of each other. Your experiment must fit between the mounted plates. The mounts between plates can not be moved.

• Weight in Pounds– Your experiment should not exceeds

the maximum weight limit of two pounds. Your design will not be excluded solely based on weight.

Payload Activation

• Payload activation – If you need to turn your payload on, we have the ability to turn it your experiment on at the launch site, before launch. Include instructions for payload activation if necessary.

• Keep in mind someone will have to reach into the rocket and turn it on – they must to able to reach the switch from outside the rocket.

• To activate all we can do is turn on a switch. We can not see a screen – we can not work through a menu to activate your experiment.

Switch down to “On”for activation

Conclusions

• Issues or concerns• What else do you need to plan for• Closing remarks

Experiment Scoring

• 4 points for innovation• 3 points for height and weight requirements• 3 points for proposal analysis review• 10 points total

SubmissionProposal Analysis Review (PAR)

• Save your proposal analysis review (PAR) as follows:

Filename: PAR_school name_teacher name Example: PAR_LynnMS_JudyMcShannon• Email to: jmcshann@nmsu.edu• Date Due: February 17, 2012

Parts List• Name of item • Parts number• Cost• Company to be purchased from, phone email, and

website• Date Due – No later than March 9, 2012• Space Grant will provide the plate

Student Patch Competition

Due to Space Grant 3.2.12

Student Patch Competition

Patch Description My artwork for the Summer of Innovation was inspired by Haley’s comet and the never ending space around us. Just like Haley’s comet, which only appears every 75 years, the Summer of Innovation gave me a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience science in a way that only NASA could provide. The rocket flying into space depicts the never ending world and space around us. It represents the never ending need for learning and exploring what’s out in the world and given the chance to learn, we can eventually reach the stars.

• http://www.launchnm.com/• Top of Screen – Student Launch Program• Drop down menu • Current Competitions• Team Deadlines

Contact

• Judy McShannon– 575-646-6414– jmcshann@nmsu.edu

• Veronica Bicknell– 575-646-6414– vbicknel@nmsu.edu

Summer-2012Launching at a spaceport near you

http://www.launchnm.com/