University: NTNU TTT4235 Space Technology II - 2024

This course is part of the study program for students at NTNU and is not open to other students. For more information, contact Andøya Space Education.

The main delivery by Andøya Space Education is to arrange a one-week student rocket course at Andøya Space. The students are divided into sections that have specific responsibilities for preparations prior to the rocket launch as explained below. Together, these sections go through all the preparations the same as before a large-scale sounding rocket campaign. The students do all the work of the campaign but are assisted by professionals from Andøya Space. In addition students are encouraged to read through the student rocket pre-study.

Payload section: Make sensor cards, make custom cables in the rocket, install all sensors in the rocket. Prepare the rocket itself before launch and test it in collaboration with the telemetry section.
Telemetry section: Setting up all the telemetry equipment and decoders and test this prior to launch receiving signal from the rocket in collaboration with the payload group. Do the first pre-analysis of the flight data and present this at the post-flight meeting.
Sensor Experiment section: Make several different sensor boards and discuss with the payload section where to place the specific sensor boards in the rocket. Develop sensor digital-to-analogue conversion equations and hand them over to the telemetry section for use in the decoder setup. The sensor experiment section also build two PTU sensor packages and release them with two weather balloons prior to the rocket launch, whereupon they analyse and present the weather balloon data.

Learning Objectives

·   A better understanding of scientific rocket campaigns based on first-hand experience

·   Sharpened collaborative skills and valuable experience in scientific project collaboration

More specifically, the students will gain a better understanding of:

·    preparations and processes related to a rocket launch

·    the phases of a sounding rocket project: defining scientific objectives, building sensors, payload integration and testing, telemetry, data analysis and presentation of findings

·    the use of rockets, balloons and ground-based instruments for studying processes in the atmosphere