Unique NASA Opportunity to Launch Rockets (2012)

The Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) announces the Great Midwestern Regional Space Grant Student Rocket Design Competition. This competition is an opportunity for students to design and construct rockets to be launched at the Student Rocket Design competition in the spring of 2012 from Bong Recreational Area. In 2012, the regional competition will run concurrently with the state competition and all teams competing in the Wisconsin Collegiate Rocket Competition will be simultaneously competing in the regional competition. Select gallery for pictures of the 2011 Wisconsin Collegiate Rocket launch Gallery 1, Gallery 2.

Teams from the following states are eligible for the Regional Competition: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin. Teams from these states should work directly with their state Space Grant to submit a Notice of Intent and to meet specific state eligibility and participation requirements. Teams should not attempt to apply to the WI Space Grant Consortium website unless they are from Wisconsin. Teams must name their team members and committed faculty mentor. Teams are also encouraged to partner with an industry mentor. Graduate students are permitted to join a team; however, they may not comprise the majority of the team members. Members of groups underrepresented in aerospace disciplines are particularly encouraged to participate. Teams of more than four students are acceptable, but not necessarily encouraged. Individual students are limited to participating in no more than four annual Regional Rocket Launch competitions in their student career.

Allowances for material and travel will be at the discretion of the home state’s Space Grant Consortium. Prizes, if any, will be the responsibility of the individual state.

Competition Parameters**

The parameters of the competition itself are the same for each state. Teams will compete to design a one-stage, high-powered rocket that, during its ascent, will transmit live video from a downward looking camera to a ground receiver. In addition the rocket must reach an apogee of 3000 feet and recovered safely and in flyable condition. An electronically deployed parachute recover system is required. The winner of the flight portion of the competition will be the team whose rocket completes a successful flight, and produces the best combination of length of good video during ascent with an apogee nearest to 3000 feet.The competition will also include design analysis, oral presentation, and assessment of data results, scored by professional engineers from both academia and industry.

All structural components and materials must be obtained from reputable high-powered rocketry vendors, or an engineering analysis demonstrating their suitability must be included with the design.

Purpose

The mission of NASA's Space Grant Program is to contribute to the nation's science enterprise by funding education, research, and informal education projects through a national network of university-based Space Grant consortia. To carry out this mission, the Great Midwestern Space Grant Consortium and its individual state consortia sponsor a broad range of programs relevant to its mission and objectives.

Further information about the mission and objectives of each state may be found at that Space Grant’s home page:

Illinois: http://www.ae.illinois.edu/isgc/

Indiana: https://engineering.purdue.edu/INSGC

Iowa: http://www.iaspacegrant.org/

Kansas: http://www.nasainkansas.org/SPACE_GRANT.html

Michigan: http://www.umich.edu/~msgc/

Minnesota: http://www.aem.umn.edu/msgc/

Missouri: http://web.mst.edu/~spaceg/

Ohio: http://www.osgc.org/

Wisconsin: http://www.uwgb.edu/wsgc

It is the purpose of this Announcement of Opportunity to support the innovative, visionary projects that are student-led and designed to fully realize the National Space Grant goal of assisting in training the next generation of aerospace professionals.

Interested students with questions about the capabilities of the launch motors should access http://www.thrustcurve.com. Those seeking help in getting started are highly encouraged to contact Frank Nobile (Maxq3@aol.com) or Bob Justus (bob@mhbofni.com) of Tripoli Rocket Association (a high-power rocketry association). Students interested in gaining information or experience by observing rocket launches are encouraged to contact these individuals, or to attend one of the regular rocket launches held by Tripoli at Bong Recreational Area. More information and launch schedules can be accessed at http://www.tripoliwisconsin.org.

Other Competition Parameters

The total score for each student team will be based on several parameters: 

Design report (provided three weeks prior to launch)	25%
Presentation of design report, safety inspection	15%
Flight performance	40%
Predicted vs. actual results from on-board accelerometer	15%
Educational Outreach	5%

Design reports (including budget) will be judged by a national panel of aerospace experts drawn from both industry and academia (parameters of this report will be provided to participating teams upon selection). Students will also be required to give an oral presentation of their design report the day before the launch, including their predicted results for the accelerometer, and submit their rocket for a safety inspection. Determination of the score for flight performance will include the best combination of length of good video during ascent with an apogee nearest to 3000 feet. Subsequent to the flight, students will provide actual accelerometer results gathered in-flight for comparison to predicted results.

The competition includes an “Educational Outreach” element, in which each team shares information pertinent to aerospace with a group. For purposes of the competition, teams will be scored as "completed" or "not completed". Outreach possibilities could include but are not limited to:

• Meet with a K-12 class or student organization to explain how rockets work.
• Make a presentation in the community or to a group on campus to describe the rocket competition and your team’s design.
• Make a presentation to a group on campus describing opportunities at NASA or through their state Space Grant that are available to students before they graduate.

Details on how to document that the outreach requirement has been met will be available in the competition handbook.

NOI Requirements

No experience is necessary to compete. Teams will be given the basic training and information required at a prep meeting shortly after selection.

Questions may be directed first to the contact provided by each state Space Grant, and second to Dr. Bill Farrow at the contact information above.

Application Deadline:  October 7, 2011

Contact your state’s Space Grant Consortium for specific details on applying.

Oral Presentations: Friday, April 27, 2012 
Launch Competition:  Saturday, April 28, 2012
Rain Date: Sunday, April 29, 2012

Rooms have been reserved at Best Western Airport Hotel and Conference Center in Milwaukee at a rate of $72.00 per night.  Call Best Western at (414) 769-2100 to reserve rooms.  Mention NASA Regional Rocket Launch to get the block rate.

**Should there be any change in the specifications of the rocket or motor(s) to be used, an amendment to this announcement will be released. However, the current heightened state of alert in the United States may require an adjustment in launch specifications at short notice. Teams are therefore encouraged to be flexible and adaptable.