IAC-06-E1.1.04
TECHNICAL AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS OF THE STUDENT ROCKET
PROGRAM AT NAROM AND ANDØYA ROCKET RANGE
Amund Nylund
Norwegian Centre for Space-related Education, Andøya Rocket Range, P.O. Box 54, 8483 Andenes, Norway.
[email protected]
Jan-Erik Rønningen
Norwegian Rocket Technology, P.O. Box 38, 2831 Raufoss, Norway.
[email protected]
ABSTRACT
Norwegian Centre for Space-related Education (NAROM) is co-located with Andøya Rocket Range (ARR) and was
established in 2000 as a field station for space-related education. The Student Rocket Program (SRP) was introduced to
give the students hands-on experience and a comprehensive introduction to an ordinary scientific rocket launch.
NAROM and ARR have since 1998 developed and launched more than 30 Student Rockets. Since summer 2005 the
SRP has been significantly improved with a more powerful rocket motor and a new telemetry system. With these
technical improvements NAROM can introduce new challenges for the students concerning rocket technique,
instrumentation, telemetry and data processing. It has also opened possibilities for new pedagogical improvements in
terms of a larger curriculum, more use of the ARR infrastructure, and making the SRP more adapted to the different
participant’s qualifications and background. But even though the SRP has been significantly improved during the last
years, the Program still is in continuously development, making the SRP at NAROM and ARR a unique educational
activity for students at different levels of education.
1.
NAROM
1.1 General
Norwegian Centre for Space-related Education
(NAROM) is a subsidiary company of Andøya Rocket
Range (ARR), and is co-located with ARR on the
island Andøya in Northern Norway at 69 degrees north
and 16 degrees east. ARR has over 40 years of
experience with scientific sounding rockets and
balloons. The Atmospheric Lidar Observatory for
Middle Atmosphere Research (ALOMAR) facility is
also close by. In addition, ARR has several other
instruments that are used for ground based geophysical
measurements. The close proximity to the
infrastructure and personnel at ARR provides
important advantages with respect to educational
activities.
NAROM is partly funded by the Norwegian
government. A yearly state grant covers approximately
50% of the costs. Other costs are covered by revenue
from educational activities. The activities organized by
NAROM represent an efficient use of the investments
at ARR which have been partly covered by the
European Space Agency (ESA) during recent years.
1.2 The importance of space education
The challenges in science are presumably endless. As
are the possibilities presented by new technologies
based on new scientific understanding.
We are only beginning to understand some of the very
complex interactions and processes that take place in
this world around us. We are still far from able to
predict the future behaviour of our climate system, and
its response to human activities. We are, however,
beginning to realize that we may be able to influence
the system with dramatic consequences. More research
in this and other areas of Earth science is essential.
Satellites and modern communication technology have
proved to be valuable tools in the study of our planet as
well as deep space.
To continue moving forward in technology and
scientific understanding, many bright young minds will
be needed in the future. A long term approach to this is
the only way to go. An increased attention towards
recruitment is clearly needed. Especially in times when
it seems that ever fewer young people are drawn
towards a career in science and technology. We need to
increase the awareness of science and technology as
something positive and exciting, and fight the
impression that these are the hardest and most
theoretical subjects in school. A theoretical approach is
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of course necessary in any science education, and a
good understanding of most subjects is never attained
without some hard work. However, a greater focus on
how theory can be applied to understand the world
around us, to help improve human life, will help make
science education more enticing. The will to
understand is probably embedded in us all.
The total turnover of space-related products and
services in Norway are increasing. The turnover in
2004 was 6.0 billion NOK. The goal is a 15% yearly
increase. The lack of youths, in particular girls, who
are interested in mathematics, physics and space
education, is becoming a very serious problem. Also,
we already have a shortage of qualified teachers. Space
education in particular has not received its due
attention in Norway. This means that we have to work
hard to ensure future recruitment to space-related
industry and education. We must not let the
opportunities for advances in industry and science pass
us by.
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1.3 NAROMs goals
NAROMs goals are:
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To ensure recruitment to space research,
education and industry.
To promote appreciation for the benefits of
space activities.
To stimulate the interest for science in
general.
1.4 Educational activities at NAROM
To achieve these goals, NAROM organize courses for
students, teachers and others from primary school to
university level. During the courses NAROM combine
theory with workshops and use of instrumentation at
the Range. The participants are living together with the
lecturers in the hotel at ARR. This provides a positive
educational environment.
NAROM has developed space educational material
which is freely available to all on the Internet. The
digital textbooks are illustrated with data from some of
the instruments at the Range. In 1998 NAROM
released a digital textbook on space physics for
teachers. In 2001 NAROM released a digital textbook
on space technology; a project that NAROM did on
behalf of the Norwegian Ministry of Educational
Affairs. This digital textbook was updated in
September 2006.
In 2005 NAROM ran 69 courses on a number of
subjects, with 1835 students participating. Here are
some examples:
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Space physics for university students.
Space technology for university students.
In cooperation with Andøya upper secondary
school: a national 1 year program on space
technology.
In cooperation with the Norwegian
Association of Young Scientists: European
Space Camp for young people from all over
Europe; theory combined with workshops,
experiments with balloons and rockets. The
camp is also supported by the Norwegian
Space Centre, Norwegian space-related
industry companies and ESA.
Nordic Teacher Space Camp.
In co-operation with Narvik University
College: National programs on space
technology for engineering students. These
are 3-5 year programs that are based in
Narvik. They include project work at
ARR that is initiated by the Norwegian
industry and by scientific programs at the
Range.
A one week course in space technology for
students from the Norwegian University of
Science and Technology in Trondheim.
Environmental physics for teachers, with
practical exercises. Two one-week courses.
Earth observation for teachers.
Electronics course for electronics teachers.
Physics course for physics teachers.
NAROM hire some of Norway’s foremost scientists to
give lectures and lead laboratory exercises during the
courses. Often, there are set off time to take in some of
the grand natural beauty that Andøya is famous for.
Whale Safari, hiking and fishing are popular activities
among our guests. This adds to an educational and
memorable stay at Andøya Rocket Range and
NAROM.
NAROM have already been able to reach out to many
potential future scientists and engineers through our
activities. We feel that we are beginning to make a
positive difference.
2.
THE STUDENT ROCKET PROGRAM
2.1 General
NAROM and ARR have since 1998 developed and
launched more than 30 Student Rockets. Hundreds of
students have had theoretical introductory and handson work preparing for the launch of a Student Rocket
at the Range. These students include upper secondary
school pupils, university students and teachers mainly
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from Norway. But there are also participants from
other countries around the world, depending on the
different courses arranged by NAROM. The main goal
of the Student Rocket Program (SRP) at NAROM is to
give the participants a comprehensive introduction to
an ordinary scientific rocket launch. Students follow
the same procedures and participate in most of the
same stations as for an ordinary scientific rocket launch
at ARR. By using the unique facilities at ARR students
become rocket scientist during the Program. During a
course the students stay and live at the Range together
with the lecturers and other scientists that might stay
there at the moment. Figure 1 shows a group of
students at European Space Camp 2005 with the rocket
at the launcher.
part. The total payload weight was kept at the
approximate same level of 5 kg (including electronics)
in order to not shift the centre-of-gravity too much. The
first launch of this type of rocket was done in October
2003 and with success.
In the recent years NAROM has used a flight computer
called Rocket Data-Acquisition System (R-DAS) in the
payload. R-DAS has the advantage in its simplicity,
and the system consists of a flight computer, a
transmitter and a receiver card with a whip antenna.
The R-DAS transmitting frequency use P-band* at 433
MHz. Students had to build a power control card as
was etched on a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) laminate.
They also had to build the transmitter antenna and the
umbilical cable to the payload. Students had to
configure the R-DAS and mount all the components to
the payload. Before the rocket campaign students set
up the Telemetry (TM) station consisting of an R-DAS
receiver card, a receiver antenna and a laptop.
NAROM left the R-DAS because of the lack of
possibilities to use the main TM station at ARR.
2.3 Student payload preparations
Figure 1 - Students at launcher with rocket
2.2 History
Student rockets have been launched from ARR since
the Space Camp in 1998. Since then, the Student
Rocket has got a more complex payload and a more
powerful rocket engine. One of the main purposes of
the Student Rocket is to give a reliable and simple
rocket to learn rocket basics from it in order to launch
payloads to acceptable altitudes.
Since 2000 and until 2003 NAROM used multiple
versions of the Rocket Tech Consult (RTC) E-1x series
of rockets, a very cheap and adaptable educational
rocket system, but with limited altitude and payload
capability. A need for increased altitude from the
current 1 km to 5 km or more was raised. ARR had for
years used military surplus rockets of the FFAR
(Folding-Fin Aircraft Rocket) type powered by a 2.75”
Mk40 mod3 rocket motor for calibrating tracking
radars during larger scientific campaigns. So, in early
2003 an idea was raised to make an instrumented
payload of these rockets and use them for Student
Rockets. The rocket motor was kept unmodified;
however the dummy warhead, a steel nose weighting
about 5 kg was re-machined to house electronics.
Adding an aluminium tube increased the length of this
During the Student Rocket Program students are
divided into groups as which are assigned with
different tasks on the rocket or the payload. The
different groups have to work separately and together
in order to prepare all stations before launch. All
groups also have lectures in space technology, rocket
technique, trajectory, stability and aerodynamics.
In the Rocket group students use the rocket technical
manual and well-known software, to learn how to
calculate and simulate the trajectory of the rockets. In
this group students also get lectures and
demonstrations of hybrid rocket engines.
The Experimenters group is responsible for the
scientific instruments of the payload. This group builds
the different sensors for the payload. Temperature,
pressure, magnetic field, shock, humidity and
acceleration are some examples of the different sensors
students can put in the payload. Students can draw
PCB pattern for the sensor, and then etch and solder
the components on the sensor card. Figure 2 shows a
student working on a sensor card for the payload.
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Through this paper the old band designations for the telemetry
frequencies 433 MHz (P-band) and 2279.5 MHz (S-band) will be
used. The respective corresponding new band designations are Bband and E-band.
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and tested for telemetry signals. At this time the rocket
engine is a dummy engine and students also can have a
photo shoot.
2.4 Student Rocket Campaign
All procedures during the launch of the Student Rocket
are the same as for larger scientific rockets. The same
strict safety procedures are kept up, and the students
get the experience that their rocket is as important as
any other scientific sounding rocket from ARR.
Figure 2 - Student soldering a sensor card
The Payload group is responsible for mounting the
different components to the payload. In this group the
students are responsible for the payload hardware. The
encoder, transmitter, sensors, battery and umbilical
cable must be mounted on the payload mounting plate,
and connected with wires.
The final group is the Telemetry group. In this group
students have to set up and prepare the TM stations
which are to be used in the campaign. Students in this
group are responsible for tracking and receiving data
from the rocket during testing and flight.
Before the Student Rocket Campaign can start,
students carry out stability and spin tests of the
payload. To make the payload stable the students have
to roll the payload in horizontal position, and mount
small lead weights to the inside of the tube until the
payload mass distribution gets near the centre line of
the payload. The spin test is done on a spin bench at
ARR. The spin bench can test the payload up to 12 rps.
Figure 3 shows teachers at Nordic Teacher Space
Camp 2006 preparing spin test of the payload.
During the campaign students are assigned to do the
tasks of the people involved in an ordinary scientific
rocket campaign from ARR. The staffs at NAROM and
ARR supervise the students in the different stations
during countdown and launch. In Launch Control
students are assigned to be the Head of Operation (HO)
and the Computer Manager Assistant (CMA). HO
controls the countdown and communication on the
campaign, as well as reporting to the air traffic control,
the ships radio and closing the road before the launch.
CMA assists in monitoring wind data and controlling
the balloon releases. In the Launch Area students are
assigned to be Pad Supervisor (PaS) and Payload
Manager (PM). Students at this station reports to
Launch Control and are inside the Block House during
the entire countdown. For safety reasons only the ARR
personnel handles all the matters of the rocket engine.
The student PaS in block house fires the rocket. Figure
4 shows the student Pad Supervisor ready to fire the
Student Rocket, supervised by ARR staff.
Figure 4 – ARR staff and Student Pad Supervisor
In the Telemetry stations students are assigned to be
Telemetry Supervisors. In these stations the students
report to Launch Control, and assists with receiving
and processing data from the payload.
Figure 3 - Preparing the payload spin test
Finally the students put together the rest of the rocket.
When the payload and the rocket structure are put
together, the rocket is mounted onto the launch ramp
As for every scientific rocket launch from ARR, preflight and post-flight meetings are arranged. In the preflight meeting all the stations report their status to HO.
The countdown procedure is reviewed in this meeting
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to ensure that all the students know the campaign
procedures. Countdown for a Student Rocket usually
takes 1 hour. After the launch a post-flight meeting is
arranged. In this meeting the students report to HO
how the operation went at their station. The main
results of the rocket data is also presented at this
meeting, if they are available at this point.
After the campaign, the received data is handled, and
the different groups present their contribution to the
campaign, analysis of the payload data and summarize
the results of the whole operation.
3.
TECHNICAL AND EDUCATIONAL
IMPROVEMENTS
A major modification to the Student Rocket Program
was made in summer of 2005. With this modification
came two important changes: A new rocket engine and
S-band telemetry.
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Approximated maximum dynamical pressure:
550 kPa
Approximated altitude: 8500 m
Approximated flight time: 85 s
Approximated acceleration: 60 g
One of the tasks of the rocket group is to do simulation
of the Student Rocket configuration. This is done with
the software Aerolab and Launch. With this software
the students can make a computer model of the Student
Rocket based on physical measurements and
specifications of the rocket motor. With the Student
Rocket properties set, the students can simulate rocket
trajectories, flight stability and flight dynamics. The
flight simulation must be evaluated and correlated with
the data received from the rocket payload. Figure 5
shows a simulation of the centre of pressure versus
Mach number for the CRV-7 Student Rocket
configuration.
3.1 The CRV-7 Rocket motor
In 2004 a new a more powerful rocket motor was
available through Nammo Raufoss AS Norway, the
C14 rocket motor from the CRV-7 air-to-ground
weapon system. Still a surplus rocket motor from a
NATO Air Force, the new and more powerful rocket
motor could now deliver the same payload to 8-9 km
altitudes and with more impressive sound and smoke
effects. The FFAR Mk40 mod 3 rocket motor used
double base propellants, which does not give out any
smoke, making the rocket more difficult to follow with
the naked eye. The C14 rocket motor uses a modern
composite propellant resulting in a bright flame
entailed with huge amount of grey-white smoke giving
it vastly improved visibility even after motor burn out.
The rocket motor increased burn time also helps. In
brief, the specification of the CRV-7 rocket motor is:
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Length: 1033 mm
Diameter: ø69.85 mm (2.75in)
Nominal Burn Time: 2.21 s
Initial Motor mass: 6.50 kg
Initial Propellant mass: 4.80 kg
Peak Thrust: 6.90 kN
Fins: 3 folding fins
Pre-calculations of the Student Rocket configuration
with the CRV-7 motor gave the following flight data:
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Total Rocket mass with payload: 11.60 kg
Rocket length: 1700 mm
Approximated maximum spin: 60 rps
Figure 5 - Simulated Centre of Pressure vs. Mach number
at zero angle of attack
The new improved rocket motor is more powerful than
earlier motors. This introduces more challenges for the
students working on the payload and instrumentation.
All sensors and circuit boards need to be mounted in a
way that can handle the enormous acceleration, spin
and velocity of the rocket. For example soldering needs
to be done properly and the circuit boards with wires
have to be fastened with screws, strong epoxy and thin
nylon ropes.
3.2 S-band telemetry
The reason why NAROM wanted to use S-band
telemetry instead of R-DAS is because it opened for
more use of the infrastructure at ARR for educational
matters. The change from P-band to S-band telemetry
brings a whole new dimension to the SRP. Now,
students can use the Main TM Station, the Student TM
Station and the Experimenters Room at ARR.
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The Main TM station use the 10 feet tracking antenna
at ARR and the students have to set up the station for
receiving, processing and storing the signals. The
signals must also be distributed to the Experimenters
Room and further to the scientist decks. The Student
TM station is used as backup for the Main TM station,
and must also be prepared and operated by the
students. Figure 6 shows students in the Main TM
station presenting slant-range data after a successful
Student Rocket launch.
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PCM code/Modulation: Bi-φ/FM
Bit rate: 260 kbit/s
Word length: 8 bit
Words per frame: 14
Frames per Format: 1
Transmitter frequency: 2279.5 MHz
Transmitter power: 750 mW
With this simple PCM format the students are
introduced to different modulation techniques,
sampling, A/D converting and encoding.
The new PCM encoder has more analogue and digital
inputs than the R-DAS. Thus, NAROM has developed
a larger number of sensors cards. These sensors cards
have been standardized in size and will be mounted on
the other side of the payload instrumentation plate.
Figure 6 - Students in Main TM after a successful Student
Rocket launch
By use of these stations the students can gain a better
understanding of antennas, receivers, signal processing,
rocket trajectories, storing and presentation of data. In
the same time they get more experience on how
telemetry and data handling from ordinary scientific
sounding rockets are done from ARR.
In the Experimenters Room the students are assigned to
be one Payload Telemetry Manager and several student
scientists for monitoring the different sensors during
flight. This means that with the new SRP more students
are able to be involved in the campaign than earlier.
The new S-band telemetry payload was developed at
ARR and NAROM, and successfully launched for the
first time during European Space Camp 2005. This
new payload consists of a PCM-encoder, a transmitter,
a rechargeable 9 V battery and 2 S-band stub antennas.
The structure consists of a nose cone and motor adapter
in steel, and a payload tube and instrumentation plate
in aluminum. The new payload structure and
instrumentation are shown in Figure 7.
The PCM-encoder has 8 analogue inputs and 2 digital
inputs for student experiments. Some of the
specifications of the PCM format and transmitter are
listed below.
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Analogue inputs: 8
Digital inputs: 2
Figure 7 - Student Rocket Payload - Structure and
Instrumentation
There has also been developed a new Ground Support
Equipment (GSE) for the new payload. Students can
use the GSE to monitor the encoder and sensor status
without the transmitter. They can also recharge the
battery and supply the payload with external power.
During the countdown the student Payload Manager is
located in the Block House and can remotely control
the payload with the GSE. This is necessary for safety
reasons because no one is allowed to be out on the
launch pad while the payload is transmitting. The new
GSE is really contributing to a better understanding of
the instrumentation of the Student Rocket.
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3.3 Educational improvements
With the new technical improvements of the Student
Rocket, NAROM has developed new educational
material. The Campaign manual and Payload manual
have been upgraded to the new SRP. New manuals
have been written to the Telemetry groups and the
Experimenters group. The manuals are brief
descriptions of most of the tasks to be done in the
different groups. But the manuals also contain tasks
where the students have to use their technical
knowledge, explore, try and fail. It is important that the
manuals do not become a cookery book, but rather a
supporting document.
The increased number of sensors also means increased
amount of data to be processed, presented and
analysed. During a week with the SRP the students
gather data from simulations of the rocket
configuration, release of meteorological balloons and
data received from the rocket during flight. An
important improvement of the SRP is that the students
are given more time to analyse the different data,
correlated them and make conclusions of them. Figure
8 shows examples of the rocket altitude simulated with
the software Launch, and the altitude of the rocket
during flight achieved from a pressure sensor.
Another pedagogical improvement is that the SRP have
been adapted to different levels of education. Students
on a higher level of education are given more advanced
tasks than students on a lower level. Thus, the SRP can
be run for more university students than earlier, and
even for students in upper secondary school and
teachers.
3.4 Upcoming improvements
As mentioned earlier, the SRP are continuously
improving. NAROM evaluates the SRP after each time
the program is run and this contributes to further
development of the program.
There are new sensors under development, both
analogue and digital. This includes analogue strain
gauges, and digital 3-axis accelerometers and
magnetometers. Regarding the current sensors, the
designs are reviewed for minor adjustments.
On the structural side there will be a new design of the
payload tube, attempting to remove some drag and
hopefully improve signals from the sensors.
Another task that soon could be included in the SRP is
a balloon release with the exact same sensors as in the
Student Rocket. This would improve correlations of the
rocket data, and the students can learn more about
remote sensing with different methods.
4.
SUMMARY
NAROM efficiently use the unique infrastructure at
ARR for educational matters. By combining lectures,
workshops and exercises students achieve unique
experiences during courses and seminars. The main
goals of NAROM are to ensure recruitment, promote
appreciation for the benefits of space activities, and to
stimulate the interest for science in general.
The Student Rocket Program at NAROM and ARR
gives the participants space-related experience at the
world’s northernmost permanent launch facility for
sounding rockets and scientific balloons. The new
Student Rocket payload and motor makes NAROM
capable of using more of the infrastructure at ARR for
the Student Rocket Program. It also makes it possible
to teach the students more about telemetry,
telecommunications in general and rocket technique.
Figure 8 - Examples of simulated (top) and measured
(bottom) altitude of a Student Rocket flight
NAROM is continuously improving the program both
on the technical and educational level. Thus, the
Student Rocket Program at NAROM and Andøya
Rocket Range is, and will continue to be, one of the
most unique space-related educational courses in the
world.
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