MILLINGTON COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

STUDENT LAUNCH INITIATIVE PROGRAM 2007-2008 PROJECT TITLE: ATMOSPHERIC MERCURY VAPOR ANALYSIS THE ACADEMIC AFFAIRS OFFICE AT THE NASA MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER (MSFC) WILL PARTNER WITH SCHOOLS TO SPONSOR NASA STUDENT LAUNCH INITIATIVE (SLI) ROCKET AND PAYLOAD TEAMS DURING THE SCHOOL CALENDAR YEAR OF 2007-2008. THE NASA SLI IS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE STUDENTS AT THE MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL IN A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY THAT INVOLVES DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, TEST, AND LAUNCH OF A REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE AND SCIENCE-RELATED PAYLOAD. THE INITIATIVE IS INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO PURSUE CAREERS IN ENGINEERING OR SCIENCE-RELATED FIELDS. TEAMING WITH ENGINEERS FROM GOVERNMENT, BUSINESS, AND ACADEMIA, STUDENTS GET A HANDS-ON, INSIDE LOOK AT THE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROFESSIONS. THE SELECTED TEAMS WILL EACH BUILD AND LAUNCH A REUSABLE ROCKET CARRYING THE STUDENTS SCIENCE PAYLOAD THAT WILL LAUNCH IN THE SPRING OF 2008. SLI IS A ROCKET AND PAYLOAD-BUILDING CHALLENGE DESIGNED FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. IT REQUIRES AN EIGHT (8) MONTH COMMITMENT TO SUCCESSFULLY DESIGN, CONSTRUCT, TEST, LAUNCH, AND RECOVER A REUSABLE ROCKET AND SCIENCE PAYLOAD. THE INITIATIVE IS MORE THAN DESIGNING AND BUILDING A ROCKET FROM A COMMERCIAL KIT. IT INVOLVES DIVERSE ASPECTS SUCH AS: SCHEDULING, PURCHASING, PERFORMING CALCULATIONS, FINANCING THE PROJECT, COORDINATING LOGISTICS, ARRANGING PRESS COVERAGE, AND DOCUMENTING IMPACT MADE ON EDUCATION THROUGH REPORTS AND DESIGN REVIEWS. SCHOOLS ARE ENCOURAGED TO INVOLVE A DIVERSE GROUP OF DEPARTMENTS SUCH AS MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGLISH, JOURNALISM, AND ART. THE PERFORMANCE TARGETS FOR THE REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD ARE: THE VEHICLE SHALL CARRY A SCIENCE PAYLOAD. THE VEHICLE SHALL BE DEVELOPED SO THAT IT DELIVERS THE SCIENCE PAYLOAD TO A SPECIFIC ALTITUDE OF 5,280 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL (AGL). THE TEAM WHOSE ROCKET AND PAYLOAD COMES THE CLOSEST (PLUS OR MINUS) TO THIS ALTITUDE BEST MEETS THIS TARGET. THE VEHICLE SHALL BE DESIGNED TO USE A STANDARD LAUNCH RAIL. EXCEPTIONS MAY BE MADE FOR RETURNING TEAMS WHO CHOSE TO USE AN L MOTOR NEW TEAMS: MAXIMUM TOTAL MOTOR IMPULSE PROVIDED BY THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHALL NOT EXCEED 2560 NEWTON-SECONDS (K CLASS). THIS TOTAL IMPULSE CONSTRAINT IS APPLICABLE TO ANY COMBINATION OF A SINGLE MOTOR, CLUSTERED MOTORS, AND STAGED MOTORS. RETURNING TEAMS: MAXIMUM TOTAL MOTOR IMPULSE PROVIDED BY THE ENTIRE VEHICLE SHALL NOT EXCEED 4000 NEWTON-SECONDS (L CLASS). THIS TOTAL IMPULSE CONSTRAINT IS APPLICABLE TO ANY COMBINATION OF A SINGLE MOTOR, CLUSTERED MOTORS, AND STAGED MOTORS. THE LAUNCH VEHICLE AND SCIENCE PAYLOAD SHALL BE DESIGNED TO BE RECOVERABLE AND REUSABLE. DEPLOYMENT OF ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE DROGUE SHOOT AT APOGEE IS NOT ADVISED. PREPARATION OF THE VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD ON LAUNCH DAY SHALL NOT EXCEED 4 HOURS. DATA FROM THE SCIENCE PAYLOAD SHALL BE COLLECTED, ANALYZED, AND REPORTED BY THE TEAM FOLLOWING THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD. THE VEHICLE SHALL USE SOLID MOTOR PROPULSION USING COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE AMMONIUM PERCHLORATE COMPOSITE PROPELLANT (APCP) MOTORS. A TRACKING DEVICE SHALL BE PLACED ON THE VEHICLE ALLOWING THE ROCKET AND PAYLOAD TO BE RECOVERED AFTER LAUNCH.

IGF::OT::IGF THIS PROCUREMENT IS FOR THE STUDENT LAUNCH INITIATIVE (SLI) PROGRAM WITH MILLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL, A RETURNING TEAM THE "ROVER DEPLOYMENT TO EXPLORE UNCHARTED TERRITORIES FOR POSSIBLE PLANT GROWTH" HAS BEEN SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM.