RGS space cadets reach for the stars

A TEAM of students from Ripon Grammar School reached new heights in a national European Space Agency competition.

The Astronomy Society took on the challenge of building a small satellite to be fired in a rocket to 1,000 feet, then descend safely in a parachute of their design.

It was a chance to enjoy the practical experience of working on a small-scale space project, said Year 12 student Harshini Rajasekaran.

The team began work last November, designing all the major subsystems of a satellite, including power, temperature and pressure sensors, along with a radio communication system.

They had to create the landing system, build the container, purchase electronic equipment, programme the software and test their satellite, producing scientific reports of their progress.

“The satellite needed to be within the dimensions of a soft drink can, and it had to be able to measure data such as air pressure and temperature,” explained Harshini.

The RGS satellite was made from a PVC pipe cut to size, with acrylic to make a lid. The parachute was created by sewing strong string to a circle of fabric with the required diameter and they used raspberry pi to code the electronic components used to measure data.

The space-gazing students, who developed a host of practical engineering and problem-solving skills alongside the theoretical content of their A-levels during the process, also overcame a series of challenges.

“Just like Elon Musk when developing his own spacecraft, we encountered many technical problems and challenges such as trying to connect the SD card to our laptop, however, we were able to overcome this issue by the time of the launch day,” added Harshini.

They finally launched their prototype on a windy day at Elvington Airfield in York: “The mothership went from 0 to 200mph is one second and reached a minimum height of 900 metres, before the satellite was ejected from the rocket, it was an amazing spectacle,” said Harshini.

“Our parachute was successfully deployed, and it was able to slow the descent. Although our satellite drifted a great distance away from the launch site it managed to survive the landing in one piece, and we were able to retrieve it.

“We were also able to talk to other teams which was a useful opportunity to learn from our mistakes and gain tips.

“Overall, it was a successful and informative trip and a fantastic STEM activity, and we were able to learn a lot while working on the project. Mr Walker enjoyed it so much he has already enrolled the school in next year’s event.”

For more details, please go to https://www.stem.org.uk/esero/secondary/competiti...