 "Photo: Rob Strong")
The University's first student-built satellites have won the right to be thrust into space, orbit the earth and test new technologies that may shape the future of aerospace engineering.
A team of 17 graduate and undergraduate students, and three faculty advisers, were given the challenge of planning and building a satellite, weighing less than 30 kilograms. They were given a budget of $100,000 and two years to complete the task.
The result was the Formation Autonomy Spacecraft with Thrust, Relvav and Crosslink (FASTRAC) - twin satellites in a closed, dust-free environment.
The team traveled to Reno, Nevada, to pit FASTRAC against 13 other universities in the third University Nanosatellite Competition, sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory and NASA. They presented on Jan. 11 and won a chance for their satellites to be tested in space.
The mission of these satellites, among others, is to demonstrate how several satellites flying together might one day outperform bigger satellites.
"You can put 10 of these in space, and if you have one shut down, the mission isn't completely lost," said Shaun Stewart, an aerospace engineering graduate student and in charge of software for FASTRAC.
He said the smaller satellites are cheaper and more expendable than bigger models.
Glenn Lightsey, faculty adviser and associate professor of aerospace engineering, said nanosatellites are the future of aerospace technology.
"We're trying to keep students ahead of the curve," he said.
The satellites are equipped with a miniature rocket called a Microdischarge Plasma Thruster, developed by the College of Engineering. The rocket will use superheated helium to create a thrust only as strong as a light breeze, but with persistent force will propel and maneuver the satellites once they're in orbit.
FASTRAC will be controlled using Global Positioning System navigation and radio waves, transmitted by tape measurer-like antennas, to communicate with Earth.
Greg Holt, aerospace engineering graduate student and project manager for FASTRAC said as soon as the satellites are released into space they will begin to decay and after about a year will fall and disintegrate in Earth's atmosphere.
"You would think that it would be sad that they just disappear, but the knowledge that it was in space is the important part," Holt said.
Lightsey said the project was a rare experience for the students involved.
"To put it to paper, and then make it a reality, that's not something a lot of students get to do," said Lightsey, "The ultimate achievement is for something they've made with their hands to go into space."
All satellites have call signs once they officially reach space. The FASTRAC team plans to have "Go Horns!" transmitted back to Earth.
"The Eyes of Texas will literally be on the whole world," Stewart said.
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