Ann Marie Trotta
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1601
ann.marie.trotta@nasa.gov

Angela Storey
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256-544-0034
angela.d.storey@nasa.gov
Jan. 5, 2012

RELEASE: H-12-002

FIFTY-SEVEN STUDENT ROCKET TEAMS TO TAKE NASA LAUNCH CHALLENGE

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. -- More than 500 students from middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities in 29 states will show their rocketeering prowess in the 2011-12 NASA Student Launch Projects flight challenge. The teams will build and test large-scale rockets of their own design in April.

NASA created the twin Student Launch Projects to spark students' imaginations, challenge their problem-solving skills and give them real-world experience. The project aims to complement the science, mathematics and engineering lessons they study in the classroom.

A record 57 teams of engineering, math and science students will take part in the annual challenge, organized by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Fifteen middle and high school teams will tackle the non-competitive Student Launch Initiative, while 42 college and university teams will compete in the University Student Launch Initiative. The latter features a $5,000 first-place award provided by ATK Aerospace Systems of Salt Lake City, Utah.

"Just as NASA partners with innovative companies such as ATK to pursue the nation's space exploration mission, these young rocketeers pool their talent and ingenuity to solve complex engineering problems and fly sophisticated machines," said Tammy Rowan, manager of Marshall's Academic Affairs Office.

"This competition is extremely important to ATK to mentor and train our future workforce," said Charlie Precourt, ATK general manager and vice president of Space Launch Systems. Precourt is a former space shuttle astronaut who piloted STS-71 in 1995 and commanded STS-84 in 1997 and STS-91 in 1998. "ATK is proud to enter our fifth year as a partner with NASA on this initiative to engage the next generation. The competition grows in impact each year."

Each Student Launch Projects team will build a powerful rocket, complete with a working science or engineering payload, which the team must design, install and activate during the rocket launch. The flight goal is to come as close as possible to an altitude of 1 mile, requiring a precise balance of aerodynamics, mass and propulsive power.

As in classroom studies, participants must "show their work," writing detailed preliminary and post-launch reports and maintaining a public website for their rocket-building adventure. Each team also must develop educational engagement projects for schools and youth organizations in its community, inspiring the imaginations and career passions of future explorers.

In April, the teams will converge at Marshall, where NASA engineers will put the students' creations through the same kind of rigorous reviews and safety inspections applied to the nation's space launch vehicles. On April 21, students will firing their rockets toward the elusive 1-mile goal, operating onboard payloads and waiting for chutes to open, signaling a safe return to Earth.

The student teams will vie for a variety of awards for engineering skill and ingenuity, team spirit and vehicle design. These include two new prizes: a pair of TDS2000 Series oscilloscopes, which are sophisticated tools for studying the change in flow of electrical voltage or current. Donated by Tektronix Inc. of Beaverton, Ore., the oscilloscopes will be presented to the two school teams that earn the "Best Payload" and "Best Science Mission Directorate Challenge Payload" honors.

This year's participants hail from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. For a complete competitor list and more information about the challenge, visit:

http://education.msfc.nasa.gov/sli

http://education.msfc.nasa.gov/usli

The NASA Student Launch Projects are sponsored collaboratively by NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, Science Mission Directorate and Office of Education Flight Projects. For more information about NASA education initiatives, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education

-end-

Rocket Calculator is a suite of handy field tools often needed in

Rocketry. At the time of this writing (version 1.0.61), there are nine
calculators. The current list is:
•       Thrust to weight ratio
•       Parachute size and descent rate
•       Drift distance
•       Streamer size and descent rate
•       Streamer size (alternate calculation method)
•       Ejection charge
•       Static pressure port size
•       Single-station altitude tracking
•       Two-station altitude tracking

Some additional features include:
•       Granular unit preferences.
•       Ability to print (requires an Air Print enabled printer) or email calculation results.

•       Quick reference information.
        o       Impulse range table
        o       US number and letter drill bit gauge conversion (used with static
                 port pressure calculator).
        o       Safety codes, launch site dimension and minimum distance tables.

There are plans to add more calculators and information resources in
the near future.

Rocket Calculator runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, and
is supported on iOS 4.2 and above.

For the the latest information or to order the app, visit http://www.rocketcalculator.com/.

In 1969, Estes introduced the Mars Lander to their line of model rockets. It became one of their most famous designs. There have been several reproductions of the Mars Lander over the years. No one, however, has produced a 3X!

Colossus has attempted to recreate an exact upscale of the original in its proportion and appearance. Of course some of the construction had to change due to its size, weight, and the forces of flight. The 3X should look exactly the same as the original. The kit has been in development for 6 years (part time), is currently in the Beta test phase, and is expected to be completed in the Spring 2012. It is currently for sale so don't hesitate to contact Colossus if you would like this interesting, complex kit.

Included in the 3X Mars Lander Kit is:
- Precision turned custom hardwood nosecone (each one is hand numbered);
- Phenolic body tubes, cut to length and pre-slotted;
- 75mm host motor mount (expected thrust range is 'J' through baby 'L');
- 12 laser cut centering rings (all holes for bolts, screws, fins, struts, alignment notches, and launch lugs are pre-cut and each ring is numbered);
- Laser cut legs and landing pads;
- Laser cut shrouds with laser engraved pattern for raised overlay detail;
- Laser cut shroud overlay details;
- All required hardware for assembly;
- Custom designed removable landing assembly;
- Custom designed rotating landing pads;
- Custom made exact replica decals (with a subtle logo change);
- Full scale, one-to-one CAD drawn with fully labeled cross section;
- 60" tall pull apart, axonometric, fully labeled drawing;
- Written instructions;
- Rocksim file.

The cost is $495 + $30 US Shipping. You can follow the status of this ambitious project here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/3XMARSLANDER

http://www.facebook.com/pages/3X-Mar...22541217843090

Aero Pack, Inc. San Diego; Aero Pack is pleased to announce the release of their MC38 and MC54 adapters that attach to the top of the Cesaroni Pro38 and Pro54 delay/eject-closures allowing them to screw onto the studs of the Aero Pack M38 and M54 bulkhead motor retainers.  The adapters have a pilot pin that seals the small hole in the delay/eject-closure and aligns the adapters so they stay straight while threading them in with a 7/8” wrench or socket.  The threaded hole in the top of the adapters is 5/16-18 which matches the stud on the M38 and M54 bulkhead motor retainers.  The adapters are reusable and made from 6061-T6 and red anodized.  They are for use to retain motors to Aero Pack bulkhead retainers only and not to be used for attaching recovery hardware.  The MC38 and MC54 adapters have been tested and approved by Cesaroni Technology, Inc.  For more info go to:  http://aeropack.net

To All,

I am pleased to announce two new motors certified and new grain spacers approved for general use from Gorilla Rocket Motors, Jim Harris presiding.

For the motors, Jim has developed two new loads for the 98-11000 case size and the motor was qualified as compatible for use in any 98-11000 standard case such as those from from both Gorilla and AMW.  For those that went to LDRS this year they may have seen these motors in use under our manufacturer’s demo program.

The M1465BL (47% M) is a Black Lightning (sparky) Bates grain motor with an atypical progressive curve.  The motor burns for 5.11 seconds, outputs 7532 Total NS with a max of 2219 Newtons.  The curve goes from zero to 250 pounds at one third of a second.  It then does a slow rise to 500 pounds at 3 seconds.  It then does a ballistic curve to 300 at 4.3 seconds where it drops to 75 pounds at 4.5 seconds.  Finally it straight lines from the that same 75# point to zero at 5.5 seconds.  The spark effects for this 98 MM motor are comparable to the AMW N2801SK, if not in noise but in spark producing.

M1565BL
BurnTime     5.11 sec
Total Impulse   7532.96 Ns
Max Impulse   2218.952 N
Average Impulse 1565.964 N

Total Weight  9801g total   4992g propellant

The M1025WC (88% M) is another one of Gorilla’s signature White Cloud Moonburner line of reloads upscaled for the 98 MM case.  This reload burns with the same typical Moonburner curve, rising immediately to 400 pounds for a good off the pad impulse, falling at the half second point to 350 pounds maintaining that for 3 seconds.  The curve then goes on it’s straight line drop to zero over the next 6.5 seconds.

M1025WC  
BurnTime      9.3625 sec
Total Impulse   9580.583 Ns
Max Impulse    1852 N
Average Impulse   1023.29085

Total Weight    10138g total  5329g propellant

Last but not least Gorilla has certified a new spacer system for his line of 38 MM motors allowing one spacer for any 390 in the 640 and one for any 640 in the 780 case as well as two spacer loading for any 390 reload in a 780 case.  He has also certified the single spacer required to load a 75-6000 reload in a 75-7600 case.  

Congrats to Mr. Harris and Gorilla Rocket Motors on another set of successful certifications.

Paul Holmes
Chairman, Tripoli Motor Testing