Category Archives: Space participation

Education, Near Space, Space participation

Global Space Balloon Challenge

Here’s an announcement from the Stanford Student Space Initiative:

Global Space Balloon Challenge

Ever wanted to build something and send it to space? The Stanford Student Space Initiative and the Michigan Balloon Recovery and Satellite Testbed team invite you to the Global Space Balloon Challenge (GSBC)! The GSBC is an international education outreach project to encourage people from around the world to build and launch their own high altitude balloons- teams from 12 countries from 6 continents have already signed up!

Between April 18 – 21, 2014, teams from all over will launch balloons to the edge of space, recover them, and share the photos and data that they have collected.  No prior building experience is required – the project is targeted at new and experienced hobbyists alike – and GSBC organizers will guide you through every step of the process. The goal is to encourage people of all ages to get their hands dirty building their own space hardware, and to promote the spirit of hardware hacking and international STEM collaboration. For more information head to http://www.balloonchallenge.org/.

Satellite Watching, Space participation

ISS-Above lights up when a huge space station flies over your location

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Via Universe Today comes a pointer to the Kickstarter for ISS-Above by Liam Kennedy. The ISS-Above is a

device that lights up whenever the International Space Station is nearby (that happens more often than you might expect)

[…]

The International Space Station passes overhead most of the populated areas of the world more frequently than you would imagine. If only you knew it was there.

That’s what the ISS-Above does.

It lights up when the ISS is nearby, but that’s not all. It can also TWEET a message to the Space Station and it has its own built-in web server to give you a ton of information about current and future passes.

It’s both an awareness thing, so more people get to know the Space Station is in their sky, and it’s also to let those who are “up there” know that we know and appreciate what they are doing!  

[ Update: A reader points to a Kickstarter project  in 2011 for a similar ISS flyover device : ISS-Notify by Nathan Bergey — Kickstarter.]

The goal of the Kickstarter is to make the device available to more people. The campaign has already exceeded its goal with over 24 days left.

From Universe Today :

A complete ISS-Above device preloaded with your location is available for kicking in to the Kickstarter for $115. If you just want the memory card with your location and custom Twitter login for sending a Tweet to the ISS, then the price is just $42. There are several other options as well.

Astronomy, Space participation

Disk Detective: Search for star systems with planet-forming debris

Zooniverse  has opened a new citizen science program called Disk Detective:

Scientists are combing our galaxy looking for stars that could be harbouring planet-forming disks. They need your help to explain this puzzling part of stellar evolution!

What is WISE looking for?

WISE is a NASA mission surveying the whole sky in infrared. This project is looking at stars to find dusty debris disks, similar to our asteroid field. These disks suggest that these stars are in the early stages of forming planetary systems. Learning more about these stars can tell us how our Solar System formed.

How will my contribution help?

Computers often confuse debris disks around stars with other astronomical objects. We need your help to sort out what stars actually have these disks from Galaxies and Nebulae.

Read about the project here: Disk Detective: The Newest Astronomy Citizen Science Project – astrobites

Science and Technology, Space participation

The Citizens Science Center

Chandra Clarke points me to her site dedicated to public participatory science programs, news and information :  Citizen Science Center – You can do science too.

She has also written a book about the subject : Be the Change: Saving the World with Citizen Science.

DIY space, Rockets, Space participation

Copenhagen Suborbitals: Ballutes and a big engine test

Some recent posts from Kristian von Bengtson about developments at Copenhagen Suborbitals:

On March 1st they will test the 1st stage of the HEAT 2X rocket, which they plan to launch this summer: Raketmotortest – Denmark.

The danish space pioneers Copenhagen Suborbitals are again testing the worlds most powerful amateur rocket engine, and you have the chance to experience the test onsite !

This time we test the complete, stacked 16 meter tall HEAT 2X rocket stage with full load of 1,200 kg of propellant and full burn time. The test will be conducted in the new 160 ton VTC-3 test stand.

The rocket engine TM65LE will be releasing its full power in a test bench, strongly bolted down to the thick concrete at the former shipyard B&W dock area.

We guarantee an extraordinary experience, so come join us at this rare event !

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