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The Vanderbilt Aerospace Club, defending champions in the NASA Student Launch (NASA SL) Challenge for the past two years, is tackling the agencys all-new 2014-15 design challenge. <\/p>\n
The rocket team is working on an earth-simulated Mars Sample Recovery Vehicle, which includes an Automated Ground Support Equipment Robot (AGSE) that autonomously places an encapsulated soil sample in a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). The ascent vehicle is eventually launched to a height of 3000 ft., with the sample independently parachuted back to Earth. <\/p>\n
In previous competitions, teams were allowed to choose their own scientific payload designs and build appropriate rockets to carry the payloads to a mile above ground and return safely. <\/p>\n
NASA has standardized this years competition by requiring all teams to design the AGSE and the appropriate MAVs. The agency has added an optional challenge, called the Maxi MAV, said Team Director Amrutur Anilkumar, a professor of the practice of mechanical engineering. <\/p>\n
The Maxi MAV challenge requires teams to design their own autonomous launch pads and ignition systems that complete the sample insertion into the rocket, and launch it in a period of 10 minutes. It is linked to the NASA Centennial Challenges Competition with the possibility of awarding major cash prizes. <\/p>\n
The team has decided not to participate in the optional Maxi MAV competition. <\/p>\n
We felt we should concentrate on aspects of the competition that would ensure on-time project completion and the most elegant design with optimal utilization of the teams budget resources, Anilkumar said. <\/p>\n
The team recently tested a first model of its ascent vehicle at a Manchester, Tennessee launch site, and had a successful recovery of a mock-up payload. The launch also pointed out a few operational glitches that the team is working to perfect before the competition April 7-11 in Huntsville, Alabama. The SL challenge now in its 15th year is organized by NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. <\/p>\n
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Aerospace Club works on simulated Mars sample recovery vehicle for NASA competition<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Vanderbilt Aerospace Club, defending champions in the NASA Student Launch (NASA SL) Challenge for the past two years, is tackling the agencys all-new 2014-15 design challenge. The rocket team is working on an earth-simulated Mars Sample Recovery Vehicle, which includes an Automated Ground Support Equipment Robot (AGSE) that autonomously places an encapsulated soil sample in a Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV). The ascent vehicle is eventually launched to a height of 3000 ft., with the sample independently parachuted back to Earth. Continue reading