SPIRIT Undergraduate Rocket Program

A Space Grant Consortium Success!

Timothy F. WheelerPenn State University

National Council of Space Grant DirectorsFall 2006 Meeting28 October 2006

Outline:

SPIRIT Program featuresESPRIT Rocket reportRole of Space Grant

Consortia in SPIRIT

6 assertions (by way of conclusions)

SPIRIT Undergraduate Sounding Rocket Program

…Putting rockets to work for 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

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)

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

Experience Learning Growth

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!

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

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.

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 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

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

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)

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)

Assertion #5: ESPRIT will meet its educational and scientific goals.

NB: This is not a live booster!

ESPRIT has been a fun and effective international collaboration

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!

Summary of Assertions:

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

2. Rockets represent an excellent pedagogical tool !

3. SPIRIT has provided comprehensive professional development for a decade.

4. ESPRIT (SPIRIT III) will meet its educational and scientific goals.

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

6. Space Grant Consortia have a fundamental role to play in nurturing forward-looking educational agendas

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

Sponsors of ESPRIT:

• PA Space Grant Consortium

• NASA Wallops Flight Facility• Andøya Rakettskyltefeltet

• Penn State College of Engineering• Corporate Sponsors:

Lockheed MartinBoeingYLA CompositesOlympic 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