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SPIRIT Undergraduate Rocket Program A Space Grant Consortium Success!

SPIRIT Undergraduate Rocket Program A Space Grant Consortium Success!. Timothy F. Wheeler Penn State University. National Council of Space Grant Directors Fall 2006 Meeting 28 October 2006. Outline:. SPIRIT Program features ESPRIT Rocket report Role of Space Grant Consortia in SPIRIT

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SPIRIT Undergraduate Rocket Program A Space Grant Consortium Success!

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  1. SPIRIT Undergraduate Rocket ProgramA Space Grant Consortium Success! Timothy F. Wheeler Penn State University National Council of Space Grant Directors Fall 2006 Meeting 28 October 2006

  2. Outline: • SPIRIT Program features • ESPRIT Rocket report • Role of Space Grant Consortia in SPIRIT • 6 assertions (by way of conclusions)

  3. SPIRIT Undergraduate Sounding Rocket Program …Putting rockets to work for education

  4. 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

  5. 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)

  6. Experience Learning Growth Assertion #1: Project-based courses teach students (not subjects) through active learning.

  7. Assertion #2: Rockets provide excellent pedagogical opportunity • Highly technical projects • Project length fits a student career • Professionalism and rigorous attention to detail required • Fun and exciting!

  8. Assertion #3: 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

  9. ESPRIT: The 3rd SPIRIT project … an international collaboration

  10. 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:

  11. 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.

  12. 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)

  13. ESPRIT Payload Composite 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)

  14. ESPRIT was a success: • Launched on schedule: from Norway (Andøya rakettskytefeltet) 1 July 2006 • 167 km apogee • Excellent science conditions • Preliminary assessment: -- Most instruments got usable data -- Data set will provide many opportunities for analysis by students

  15. Assertion #4: International student collaborations work to broaden understanding and build relationships for the future

  16. Student interactions • 12 Norwegians came to PSU, Feb 2005 • 2 students to ARR for HotPay launch (June 2005) • 2 PSU students to ESA Sounding Rocket Programme (Sandefjord, June 2005) • 10 Norwegians to WFF, (March 2006) • 2 Norwegians to WFF, (May 2006) • 14 PSU students supported the launch in Andøya (June/July 2006)

  17. What now? • ESPRIT Data Analysis class (led by Dr. Philbrick at PSU) • Presentation of ESPRIT results by students • To delegation from Norway • To Lockheed Martin management • To PSU admininistrators • To PSU CoE Research Symposium • To ESA Sumposium, June 07? • Establishment of a Student Space Projects Lab at PSU with Space Studies Certificate (Dr. Sven Bilén)

  18. Assertion #5: ESPRIT will meet its educational and scientific goals. ESPRIT has been a fun and effective international collaboration NB: This is not a live booster!

  19. Assertion #6: Space Grant Consortia can have a fundamental role in nurturing forward-looking educational agendas • Role of PA Space Grant Consortium in SPIRIT: • First ’enabler’, funded a promising idea. • Subsequent ’sustainer’ role for operational funds as seed money • Network for collaboration, contacts • Role of SPIRIT in PA Space Grant Consortium: • Provided an avenue to address the very goals Dr. Winterton highlighted • Provided a technical ’edge’ to PA SGC programs • Provided concrete successes at regular intervals • Provided ready resource for outreach activities related to rockets Our success is your success – Thank you!

  20. Summary of Assertions: • Project-based courses teach students (not subjects) through active learning. • Rockets represent an excellent pedagogical tool ! • SPIRIT has provided comprehensive professional development for a decade. • ESPRIT (SPIRIT III) will meet its educational and scientific goals. • International student collaborations work to broaden understanding and build relationships for the future • Space Grant Consortia have a fundamental role to play in nurturing forward-looking educational agendas

  21. Collaborating Faculty on ESPRIT • Penn State University • Dr. Sven Bilén • Dr. Russell Philbrick • Dr. David Spencer • Timothy F. Wheeler (tfw1@psu.edu) • Universitet i Oslo • Dr. Torfinn Lindem • Universitet i Bergen • Dr. Johan Stansnes • Svein Njastaad • Høyskolen i Narvik • Dr Arne Bjørk • PA Space Grant • Dr. Lisa Brown • Andøya Rakettskyltefelt • Dr. Evind Thrane • Jorgen Ilstad • NASA/NSROC • Philip Eberspeaker • Bruce Scott, mgr http://spirit.ee.psu.edu

  22. Sponsors of ESPRIT: • PA Space Grant Consortium • NASA Wallops Flight Facility • Andøya Rakettskyltefeltet • Penn State College of Engineering • Corporate Sponsors: Lockheed Martin Boeing YLA Composites Olympic Machining • Thanks also to the U.S. Embassy in Oslo for support of student travel Visit our web site at: http://spirit.ee.psu.edu

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