 |
| [PHOTO: NASA/MSFC/Emmett Given] |
Huntsville, Alabama: Organizers of the NASA Student Launch Projects have
announced the 57 student teams whose inventive creations will soar skyward in
April during the space agency's 2012-13 rocketry challenge.
Representing schools
in 26 states around the country, participating teams each will design and build
a large, high-powered rocket, complete with a working science or engineering
payload and capable of flying to the target altitude of 1 mile. NASA created
the rocketry challenge to encourage young people to pursue careers in the
science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
"Every year, the
NASA Student Launch Projects build on our students' classroom studies in an
energizing, exciting way," said Tammy Rowan, manager of the Academic
Affairs Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.,
which organizes the event. "It's great fun, but it also reflects the
real-world complexity of planning missions, building flight hardware and
completing tough pre-flight checks and reviews. It tests their problem-solving
skills and gives them practical, hands-on experience. We hope the experience is
so unforgettable it leads many of them to become the nation's next generation
of scientists, engineers and space explorers."
Twenty-one middle
school and high school teams will take part in the Student Launch Initiative,
which is non-competitive. Thirty-six college and university teams will compete
in the University Student Launch Initiative with a $5,000 first-place award
provided by ATK Aerospace Group of Salt Lake City going to the winner.
"We are proud to
be sponsoring NASA's Student Launch Competition for the sixth year," said
Kent Rominger, a former astronaut who is vice president of business development
for ATK's Space Launch Division. "Each year we are impressed with the
level of skill and knowledge these students exhibit. We are very optimistic and
excited about the caliber of individuals that could become our future work
force."
Building the powerful
rockets and designing and integrating the onboard engineering or science
payloads are only two parts of the challenge. Teams also must maintain detailed
preliminary and post-launch reports, and build and regularly update a public
website to document their rocket-building experience. Each team also will
develop an educational engagement program to inspire and educate younger
students in their local school system and community.
In 2013, the teams
will travel to Marshall, where their rockets will undergo a series of intensive
reviews and safety inspections -- a smaller-scale version of the rigorous
processes applied to the nation's space vehicles. The culmination of their work
is set for April 21, when the students launch their creations one by one into
the skies over northern Alabama. Each will be seeking the elusive 1-mile
altitude goal, as well as a variety of annual awards for vehicle design,
engineering excellence and team spirit.
The 26 states
represented are Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi,
Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.