Augmenting a space mission design course with high-altitude balloon projects
Abstract
Experiential learning is a vital component of the space mission design course offered through the Department of Space Studies at the University of North Dakota. This course incorporates project-based learning through high-altitude balloon, satellite ground station, and small satellite team projects. In this educational setting, students gain hands-on experience with spacecraft engineering and operations principles. Four high-altitude balloon projects were utilized during the Spring 2011 Semester of this course. These team projects included one which focused on a superpressure balloon mission concept, a second which involved a biological payload, a third that involved an imaging payload, and a fourth that focused on launch and recovery operations. These four team projects, along with other team projects, spanned the range of systems engineering design steps leading up to the launch of a typical space mission. Each team project culminated in a mission concept review, preliminary design review, critical design review, flight readiness review, or an operational readiness review. As a result, students received practical exposure to the major phases of space mission design through project-based learning experiences.
How to Cite:
Fevig, R. A. & Nordlie, J., (2011) “Augmenting a space mission design course with high-altitude balloon projects”, Academic High Altitude Conference 2011(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/ahac.5609