Students in space …

Undergraduate Student Experimenter

Ride Share

USERS

Timothy F. Wheeler

Penn State University 26 June 2008

• 1960s to 1980s Sounding rockets for science exploration

• 1980s Desire to open space to wider participation

• 2000s Recognition of strategic importance of

workforce development• Now Recognition of value of

rockets as teaching tool

Rockets provide excellent pedagogical opportunity

• Highly technical projects• Project length fits a

student career• Professionalism and

rigorous attention to detail required

• Fun and exciting!

Project-based courses teach students (not subjects) through active learning.

Experience Learning Growth

SPIRIT Undergraduate Sounding Rocket Program

…Putting rockets to work for education

SPIRIT has provided comprehensive professional development for a decade.

• SPIRIT I: 17 May 2000

• SPIRIT II: 3 Oct 2004

• SPIRIT III (ESPRIT): 1 July 2006

Besides the payload...• Companion Course (1 cr)

– Evolves from lectures => working group– Team building activities (field trips to

industry sites)• UN-focus on the big picture

– Science tie-in – Our chance to recruit highly motivated

students to space and atm science• Levering projects beyond SPIRIT

– Indep. Stdy, Capstone and Honors Projects

– Core curriculum ‘real-world’ problems• Publicity Campaign

(w/School of Communications)• K-12 Outreach

(w/School of Education)

Characteristics of a SPIRIT Payload:

Long-duration, vertically integrated, collaborative small group learning environment

Scientific research in service of undergraduate education

Hands-on experiences related to professional development

Comprehensive program of activities for students of many majors.

Complex, open-ended technical challenges

Some numbers:

ESPRIT:• 98 PSU undergraduates over 3 years • ~40 students in any one semester• 11 Norwegian graduate students from HiN,

UiO, UiB

SPIRIT:• 250 PSU participants• ~10 % women• 6 Permanent employees at WFF (1 at

– Goddard)

(Study of long-term effect on student careers remains to be done)

ESPRIT: The 3rd SPIRIT project

… an international collaboration

• Prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers for space-related careers

• Develop the teamwork and professional skills of these particular students through complex projects

• Foster a global view of man’s quest to understand the world

Educational Goals:

Science Goals:• Investigate the high latitude ionosphere during a

geophysically interesting period (NLC, PMSE, X-ray or particle event)

• Investigate the physical characteristics of mesospheric aerosols (NLC) particles and/or PMSE conditions.

International student collaborations work to broaden understanding and build relationships for the future

ESPRIT PayloadComposite nosecone & decks (PSU)

Langmuir probes (PSU)

1.5m boom system (UiO/PSU)

Plasma Frequency Probe (PSU)

Aerosol detector (HiN)

Accelerometer/Gyro exp (UiO)

X-Ray det/SSD/Hor sensors (UiB)

NLC detect photometer array (PSU)

NLC imager/sun sensor (PSU)

Pyroless door actuator (PSU)

Rocket power/wiring systems (PSU)

3-axis magnetometer (PSU)

TM and PCM support (PSU/ARR/FFI)

ESPRIT was a success:

Launched on schedule: from Norway (Andøya rakettskytefeltet) 1 July 2006

167 km apogee Excellent science conditionsPreliminary assessment:

-- Most instruments got usable data-- Data set will provide many opportunities for analysis by students

USERS … the next step in student rockets!

NB: This is not a live booster!

Purpose: To provide routine opportunities for student access to rockets

Vision: Yearly flight opportunities for approximately 4 student teams using a standard flight platform

USERS Design Parameters

• 10 lb• 10” diameter deck• 10” high• Cost to participants: $15 K

Featuring:

TM

Payload recovery

Chance to work side-by-side with NSROC engineers

1 or 2-yr design cycle

Selection criteria

• Can the student group pull it off?

• How many student opportunities will result at the home institution?

• What sort of mentoring will be available to the students?

No previous rocket experience necessary!

Payload Integrator

NASA

P/L Integrator NSROC

Stdt Team Stdt Team

Stdt TeamStdt Team

Rocket Flight !!!!

Typical Development Cycle

• AO• Proposal• MIC• Design Review• Internal Integration• WFF Integration• Flight Prep• Flight• Data Analysis

Integrator-led

(9 months)

NSROC-led

(1 month)

Integrator/Home institution

Status of program development:

• Pilot program under way (launch Nov 2008)

• Integrator selected

(2009 ??)• First USERS flight

(2010 ???)

19 September 2006 Universitet i Oslo

Timothy F. Wheeler

318 Electrical Eng East

University Park, PA 16802

814.863.5403

tfw1@psu.edu

Expressing your interest will help: philip.j.eberspeaker@nasa.gov

USERS