HANDS-ON ROCKET SCIENCE -HOW THE STERN PROGRAM MOTIVATES UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO DESIGN, TEST AND LAUNCH A ROCKET

摘要

The program "STudentische Experimental-RaketeN", designated STERN, allows students from aerospace universities across Germany to design, build, test and launch their own developed rockets. On behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy (BMWi), the DLR Space Administration conductsthe German Space Program. In the frame of the national space program, STERN was initiated and launched in April 2012. The goal of the STERN program is to increase awareness to the need of the space transportation sector regarding both the technical sector and the human resources. Thus, the main objectives of the program are threefold, namely: 1.Inspire student interest in space transportation subjects through hands-on activities during development of their own sounding rocket, 2.Entice universities with financial support to supervise and support student projects, 3.Increase course work and lecture activities in fields such as launch systems, propulsion systems or similar which address space transportation issues. A student group participating in the STERN program submits a proposal outlining its sounding rocket project. According to the program announcement, the sounding rocket has to suffice a specific set of requirements, namely: ? Minimum velocity of Mach 1, ? Mandatory recovery system, ? Functioning telemetry system to transmit key parameters including at least - but not limited - acceleration, velocity, altitude and position of the rocket Moreover there are no limits regarding peak altitude or the used type of propulsion system (solid fuel, liquid fuel, steam or hybrid). Eight (8) teams were selected by DLR Space Administration to participate in the STERN program with a project start in April 2012. The first STERN cycle is coming to a close at the end of 2017. More than 460 students have participated so far. Five student teams launched a total of eight rockets in Kiruna, Sweden, during three separate campaigns. This first program cycle produced a significant number of