The CrickSAT Project

MSU; SSE 120

Menifee County High School

How does the atmospheric temperature change as altitude changes? How can this temperature data be collected while staying on the Earth’s surface?

Introduction

These are a few questions that you will discover the answers for during this exciting semester long project. You will explore electronics, soldering, the Earth’s atmosphere and the near space environment, engineering your own electronics, basic physics as well as work with the amazing Space Science Team of Professors and Engineers at Morehead State University.

Professor Bob Twiggs while at Stanford University originally developed the CricketSAT (CSAT) for freshmen engineering courses. Professor Twiggs is now a Professor at Morehead State University where he is using this project as a high school outreach project.

Task

Your task through out the semester is to work with a CrickSAT Mission Team to discover and learn about the Earth’s atmosphere and near space environment, become confortable and successful at soldering electronic components on a printed circuit board (PCB), design and engineer your own electronic device, calibrate frequency to specific temperatures, launch and collect data from your team’s CSAT, analyze and interpret the collected data from frequency data to temperature data, and as a team create a presentation of your results.

Benchmark Units: (Make a tab in your notebook for the following)

  1. Introduction to Space Systems Engineering/ Why Space?
  2. Space Environment
  3. Satellite Basics
  4. Basic Circuits
  5. Electromagnetic Waves
  6. CrickSAT
  7. Careers in Space Science
  8. Reference Section (Lab Safety, Lab Safety contract, standards checklist, etc.)

The CrickSAT Mission Team Presentation

The presentation should be a professional formatted presentation in which all members should take part. The Presentation will be a formal evaluation which will have 3 components produced at the time of presentation: media presentation format, CricketSAT Lab notebook and field guide with data analysis, and an abstract with cited works attached. The team will have the choice of media presentation format i.e. power point, IMovie, professional poster, or any other approved format of presenting you CrickSAT Mission.

Materials Checklist:

ü  3 Ring Binder that will be your Mission Notebook.

ü  Notebook tabs (tab listed above as Units)

ü  Understanding Space: An Introduction to Astronautics, Jerry Jon Sellers; Wiley J. Larson; William J. Astore; Robert B. Giffen

ü  Class website: http://menifee.kyschools.us/olc/class.aspx?id=497&s=24

ü  Electronic Lab tool kit

·  Minitec Digital Multimeter
·  Safety Glasses
·  7-in-1 Wire Stripper 26-16 AWG
·  Electronic Soldering Station
·  Extra Tips for Economy Soldering Station, Pkg of 3
·  Angled precision micro cutters
·  Solderless Breadboard - 830 Total Tie-Points
·  140pc Jumper Wire Kit
·  Rosin Core Solder (8.0 oz.)
·  Stanley 66-039 6-Piece Jewelers Precision Screwdriver Set
·  Pliers Set Long Nose
·  Slip Joint pliers

Name:______

Date:______

Space Systems Engineering Standards Checklist

Standard/ Learning Outcome / Date(s) covered
LO 1. Students will demonstrate an ability to work as a group to predict and create scale models of the size and distances of planets, orbits, satellites and other objects in space (QC: HC-P-A.1,2,3)
LO 2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the function of electrical components and the design of electrical devices and how they work (QC: HC-P-A.1,3)
LO 3. Students will demonstrate an ability to solder components onto a circuit board and build a small device (QC: HC-P-A.1,3)
LO 4. Students will demonstrate an understanding and ability to measure the electrical values on a protoboard and circuit board using a multimeter (QC: HC-P-C.5)
LO 5. Students will demonstrate skills in building electrical devices and be able to describe a circuit with schematic diagrams using appropriate symbols (QC: HC-P-C5)
LO 6. Students will demonstrate an understanding of motion and forces with predictions and descriptions of how a satellite stays in orbit (QC: HC-P-B.2)
LO 7. Students will be able to collaborate on a team mission to build, calibrate, launch, track, collect, and record data (QC: HC-P-A.1,2,3; C-5)
LO 8. Students will be able to explain how their satellite is tracked via telecommunication devices (QC: HC-P-A.1,2,3; HC-P-D.1,2)
LO 9. Students will be able to analyze data and prepare and deliver a presentation demonstrating their research and results (QC: HC-P-A,1,2,3; C5)
*Standards and Learning outcomes are aligned to Quality Core standards
**Standards and Learning outcomes are subject to change with the Next Generation Standards

Lesson Reflection Template Name:______

Date:______

Directions: Reflections are used to align your understanding of the lesson objectives. Answer the questions below about the lesson, unit, lab, and/or activity that you have just completed.

1. What did you learn from this lesson?

2. What were the lesson objectives and/or purpose?

3. What did you like about the lesson?

4. What was the most difficult part of the lesson?

5. What questions do you have about the lesson?