We launched our USLI rocket, Frankenstein, today and it flew very well. Also, Thomas and Krissy launched their rockets in a NAR L1 attempt. Krissy’s flew superbly while Thomas’s payload bulkhead became detached and the payload and nose cone were lost. Here is a quick video of Thomas’s lauch and Frankenstein’s flight.
Results of our Preliminary Design Report scores and the PDR Presentation are posted on the Documents Page
This past weekend there were a series of rocket launches that went almost according to plan. The first to launch was Thomas Doyle’s rocket; the flight went well until the rocket reached its highest point. The nose cone of his rocket was lost in the flight and never recovered. Since, this is Thomas first rocket launch for his level one certification, he will have to redo the launch and recover the entire rocket. The second launch was done by Krissy Jefferson, her launch went according to plan. She obtained her level certification and had a successful flight and recovery. Since, she was part of the camera team, she did not anticipate the recovery well and ran a lot further than necessary to recover her rocket. So, there is no video of her rocket’s flight and recovery. The pride and joy of the space center is the rocket named Frankenstein. This was Frank’s first flight and we are proud to announce that Frank had a successful launch and recovery. Frank’s launch used the biggest rocket motor the Space Center has used so far and the rocket reached just a few hundred feet off the predicted altitude. When Frank reached the ground safely, it took two space center members to carry it back to the launch site.
“Launch Video”
We’ve added the PDR, the presentation (pdf and PowerPoint), and the PDR Milestone Flysheet on the Documentation page.
Today on November the 8, 2010, NASA sponsors came by to witness the Northwest Indian College Space Center’s early projects of water bottle rocketry. There were two successful launches, and one unsuccessful launch where the rocket crashed and crunched when gravity made it hit cold hard earth. There were about forty spectators watching this magnificent bottle rocket launching event.
This past weekend Northwest Indian College Space Center launched a dual deployment rocket as well as other high powered rockets. Gordan Kelly earned his level one certification on his second try, his second rocket finally took to the sky like a bird to the wind. Gary Brandt finally got his level two certification after hours of studying for the test and finally got to launch his rocket code named, “Yellow Fever”. Nick Jefferson recieved his level one certification on the first try.
“Here’s the video of this weekend’s launch”
These are the teams that we will be competing with. We are in good company!
Alabama A&M University, Normal, Ala.
Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.
Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Ariz.
Fisk University, Nashville, Tenn.
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee, Fla.
Harding University, Searcy, Ark.
Inver Hills Community College, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
Lafayette College, Easton, Pa.
Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Mo.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.
North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.
Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, Wash.
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, Pa.
Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala.
University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
University of Central Florida, Orlando, Fla.
University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla.
University of Illinois – Urbana – Champaign, Champaign, Ill.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich.
University of South Alabama, Mobile, Ala.
University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, N.D.
University of Washington, Seattle, Wash.
Utah State University, Logan, Utah
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.
Windward Community College, Kaneohe, Hawaii
CONGRATULATIONS on being accepted as a 2010-2011 NASA University Student Launch Initiative Team!! I will hold a WebEx video teleconference on Thursday, October 21 at 2:45 pm Central Time, and will send an agenda soon. Your call-in number will be toll-free: 866-642-3290, Passcode: 6660766#. Please make sure your phone has a mute button. An adult team member is requested to participate in the video teleconference. Other teammates may participate, but it is not required. This will also be the time we test the video teleconference systems to make sure we can connect for the reviews. Directions for connecting to WebEx can be found attached to this email. We are limited to the number of people who may call in, so please only use one phone line per team. If you are unable to make this time, we will have a make-up date scheduled soon.
Your Preliminary Design Review (PDR) report will be due no later than November 19. The requirements for the PDR are listed in your Advanced Rocketry Workshop notebook (available on the USLI website: http://education.msfc.nasa.gov/usli), however, you may receive minor changes within the next two weeks.
The team website should be available no later than November 1. More information on the website will be discussed during the teleconference on Oct. 21. One vital aspect to the continuance of this project is your feedback. Throughout the academic year, we will ask that you and your students provide feedback on different aspects of the University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) project. More information on the feedback will be forthcoming.
Please note: The launch dates are SET for April 13-18, 2011. If you are unable to participate in USLI because of these dates or for any other reason, let me know as soon as possible.
Eddie Jeffries (copied) is the technical coordinator for the NASA Student Launch Projects. Eddie is an engineer on the NASA Jacobs Engineering Services and Technical Support contract and has experience with high-powered rocketry. He will be providing your team feedback on your team’s proposal and upcoming reports. While your team has been accepted in USLI, there may be changes that NASA may require to your proposed rocket and payload.
For teams that proposed for the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) payload option: With this email, your team has been accepted into USLI, but may or may not receive the $5,000 SMD-directed payload. You will receive a separate email regarding this at a future date.
Our NASA Education team and the review panel are excited about your participation in NASA’s Student Launch Projects, and we wish you luck in the design and build of your rocket and payload.
Julie, Eddie, Miranda, Patrick and Fred
Julie D. Clift
NASA MSFC Academic Affairs Office
Mail Code: HS30
Huntsville , AL 35812
256.961.1334
This past saturday, on October 2nd, there were a series of rocket launches. Two successful rocket launches went according to plan, but two others were not as lucky. One of the rockets charges set the rocket aflame, the rear of the rocket burned and the front bent slightly. The second one did not fly as high as it was expected to. There were many guests that attended NWIC first public rocket launch. One of them was the President of NWIC, Cheryl Crazybull. Some others were photographers from Squol Quol Newspaper. Here is a Youtube slide compliation
This past weekend a small group of students were supposed to make the long trek to Mansfield, Washington to get their level two Certification. Some of the students did not make the trip do to incomplete rockets and test anxiety. However, Dave Oreiro came out on top and attained his Level two certification, now he can sign new members up to get their level one certification and buy bigger motors for the rockets. 😀