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TMSC In Space:
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TMSC In
Space!
Talcott Mountain Science
Center and Academy built two payloads for the UP
Aerospace SpaceLoft XL rocket, scheduled to launch
to an altitude of 70 miles on Monday, September 25.
TMSC and TMA students
designed a series of experiment designs, finally
choosing a simple and reliable design, based on
developing off-the-shelf robotics for use in space.
The first round of designs from upperclassmen
included testing motion of common contrsuction
items in microgravity. Since the rocket is
unmanned, there would be no simple and robust
method for activating the sensors and cameras.
Round two involved suggestions by younger students
to use LEGO Mindstorms to conduct experiments and
test the feasibility of using Mindstorms as a
space-based robotics system. Even with two payload
containers, the payload would not carry a standard
Mindstorms RCX. Finally, the PrimeTime students
suggested a test of the strength of LEGO blocks
that would be used to build a space-based
Mindstorms robot. The "bridges" included in the
payloads are made from different combinations of
bricks that use a range of brick sizes and
attachments. The payload containters are lined with
thin styrofoam, that will be dented if or when the
brick "bridges" come loose at various G forces. By
analyzing the impression in the styrofoam and
testing bricks back on the ground, students should
be able to detedmine which LEGO building techniques
work best during a rocket launch, flight, and
recovery.
Thanks to Steve Weinberg
of the Connecticut Ccenter forAdvanced Technology
and Eric Knight of UP Aerospace or the opportunity
to participate in this historic event!
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