Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy NASA Student Launch Initiative

1. Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy NASA Student Launch Initiative

2. Introduction • The NASA Student Launch Initiative (SLI) has students designing, building, and testing reusable rockets with scientific payloads. This is a unique hands-on experience during which NASA engineers mentor students in creation of their designs. It gives abstract educational concepts tangibility.

3. Qualification • Teams can qualify by placing in the top 18 teams at the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) finals. • Our team placed fifth in the nation in TARC this past spring, so CMCA is one of 11 schools in the nation to participate in NASA SLI this year.

4. Our Team • The Cheyenne Mountain SLI team was formed in October 2008 and has had many meetings and build sessions. We have built and launched our full sized rocket and have flown a test flight to capture video with our HD video camera. • We have students from CMCA, Cheyenne Mountain High School, Colorado Virtual Academy, and The Classical Academy.

5. Our Proposal • To construct a vehicle to reach an altitude of one mile, with NASA evaluation on vehicle performance and design. The experience culminates with a launch at Marshall Space Flight Center in the spring. • The educational benefits include practical experience in aerodynamics, craftsmanship, physics, propellant dynamics, trigonometry, use of engineering software, public relations, fundraising, scheduling, and teamwork. • The team members are experiencing enthusiastic support from local NAR and COSROCS experts.

6. The Future of Aerospace Science • The initiative is intended to encourage students to pursue careers in engineering or science-related fields. Teaming with engineers from government, business, and academia, our students get a hands on, inside look at the science and engineering professions. • It’s an issue of nationalsecurity.

7. Win-Win for Supporters Coverage for Sponsors: During the flurry of activity leading up to the final flights, there is a significant boost in local and national news coverage and public relations for the school, district, sponsors, and students. Last year at TARC finals our team was filmed for this nationally web cast video, plus we had local newspaper, radio and television news coverage. Our sponsors have been showcased in news stories in the Gazette’s electronic Hub (which receives widespread Google hits) and the stories have also been published in the print version.

8. Sponsorship • In order to pay for materials and plan for the trip to Alabama in the spring, the parents of the team have proposed approaching local businesses, educational, and aerospace organizations for corporate sponsorship to pay for motors, building supplies and materials, travel and lodging expenses. • Previous sponsors got exposure on national networks and our sponsors’ logos will be prominently displayed on our rocket proportional to their support.

9. Accountability • We have a bank account that’s accessible to the team accountant. • The team will submit a full report of financial activities to sponsors at the end of this year’s efforts. • Donations are 501c3 tax deductible because Cheyenne Mountain Charter Academy is our official sponsor.

10. Bottom Line? • NASA provides a substantial startup grant, but we have 10 team members and mentors plus parents. A full sponsorship of $10k would be great, but we encourage businesses to contribute a minimum of $300.