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National Association of Rocketry
Educator's Newsletter
April 2022
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In this issue:
2022 The American Rocketry Challenge (TARC) is underway
NAR Scholarship Program, Robert L. Cannon Awards, Extracurricular Activity Grant Awards, and the Gleda M. Estes Scholarship
RESOURCES
INSPIRING OTHERS
Space History
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Back to the Moon
NASA has finally rolled out the SLS, the rocket that will take us back to the moon. They intend to launch it soon, maybe in May, as a test flight with no people on board. Those of us who remember the original moon landing are a little disappointed it took so long to return to the moon, but we look forward to watching those big lift-offs again and feeling the sense of national accomplishment. In the Apollo days the moon flights were a space race with Russia. The U.S. won. Today there is another world tension with Russia. Will launching Americans to the moon now make another similar statement? Will anyone recognize the value? Will looking to the stars help us get past these troubled times? The inspiration of Apollo did then. Maybe the successful flight of SLS will remind us of what is possible. Your class can follow the countdown and watch the launch. Have them build a model rocket to help them believe in a better future and that we -they- are going to the moon.
Aim high!
Vince Huegele
NAR Education Chairman
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2022 The American Rocketry Challenge (TARC) is underway
The American Rocketry Challenge (TARC) is an aerospace design
and engineering event for teams of US secondary school students
(6th through 12th grades) run by the NAR and the Aerospace
Industries Association (AIA). Teams can be sponsored by schools
or by non-profit youth organizations such as Scouts, 4-H, Civil Air Patrol, or Air Force JROTC (but not the NAR or other rocketry organizations). The goal of TARC is to motivate students to pursue aerospace as an exciting career field, and it is co-sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers, Estes Industries, the Department of Defense, and NASA.
There are just a few days before the April 4 deadline for TARC 2022 teams to fly and submit score reports on their qualification flights, so they can be in the running to earn one of the 100 spots at the May 14 Finals. Selectees will be announced, notified, and posted on the TARC website on April 8. And yes, this will be a full in-person Finals again, our first at the beautiful Great Meadow flying site in The Plains, VA since 2019. It will be great to see the eager and excited young people who will be the Finalists and, with the assistance of 105 NAR volunteers who make up the Finals range crew, it will be a privilege to help them fly!
Mentors
As the qualification deadline approaches, all of us who mentor and work with teams get a lot busier. Teams that did not get an early start need advice on building or getting their first flights off, other teams need to get that last set of practice flights in or are looking for an official NAR qualification flight observer or a place to fly. Please do your best to support as many teams as you can within your own constraints of time, ability to travel, and personal (COVID) safety, and ask your section to welcome and support flying by TARC teams -- maybe even add a launch or two as the deadline gets near. These kids are the future of the NAR, of the hobby, and of the US aerospace industry. Encourage them to join the NAR, and to pursue their dreams in aerospace careers. And tell them to look at my "Flight Testing in TARC" presentation on the TARC website, if they want to know how to take and use data in order to get their rockets onto the TARC 2022 performance targets.
Qualification flight observers are adult members of the NAR who watch a team's official "qualification flight" attempt at a mutually convenient time and place sometime before 4 April 2022. The observer verifies the flight is conducted within event rules and that the egg payload is uncracked after flight, serves as one of the two stopwatch-equipped timers for the flight, and then records the flight duration and altimeter-reported altitude post-flight. He or she signs the official flight-report form, which is then sent in to the AIA. Qualification flight observers are under no obligation to also serve as a mentor to a team, although they may do so. Observers must be impartial; they cannot be related to any member of the team they observe, be employed by the team's school, or be a member of the team's sponsoring non-profit organization. Impartial adults may join the NAR (online if desired) simply for the purpose of being an observer, if a team is not otherwise able to locate an NAR adult member.
NAR Sections help by listing all of their launches on the NAR "Launch Windows" web page and by providing free access to these launches and use of Section or personal launch equipment for any TARC team needing to do a test or qualification flight.
Only certain NAR-certified model rocket motors of total impulse class "F" and below are approved for flight use. They are enumerated in this list.
Thank you for what you do in paying forward to support the next generation through your work for the TARC program. It's what the NAR is all about. I look forward to seeing many of you at the TARC 2022 Finals!
NAR 4322 L3
TARC Manager
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National Association of Rocketry (NAR) Scholarship Program, Robert L. Cannon Awards, Extracurricular Activity Grant Awards, and the Gleda M. Estes Scholarship
Did you know that if you are a NAR member between the ages of 17 and 22 attending college or a vocational school that you may be eligible to receive a scholarship?
Are you a teacher or educator who uses model rocketry in the classroom? You are welcome to apply for a $500 grant to use in your program.
In 2001, the NAR's scholarship and Robert L. Cannon educational awards were inaugurated. Three NAR members received scholarships and two educators received Cannon awards. Over the years the number of award winners have grown. In 2015, a new program, the NAR Extracurricular Activity Grant (EAG) was initiated to provide up to ten $500 grants for after-school activities, such as rocket clubs, scout, Civil Air Patrol, 4-H, or NAR section programs involving model rocketry. TARC teams are not eligible for these awards. This year we awarded ten $2000 scholarships, six $1000 scholarships, six Cannon $500 grants, and one Extracurricular Activity Grant (EAG).
In 2018, the Estes family announced the Gleda M. Estes Scholarship for the Advancement of Young Women in STEM. High school seniors and college freshmen majoring in STEM fields are eligible to apply for this $3,000 award. Recipients of the Estes Scholarship may not receive a NAR Scholarship in the same year but are welcome to apply for the NAR Scholarship in following years. A separate application is required for the Estes Scholarship: https://www.nar.org/gleda-m-estes-scholarship-3/
The deadline for applying for all of these is June 1st.
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NASA Makes Finding Teaching Materials Easy
Education Materials Finder
NASA's Education Materials Finder will help teachers locate resources
that can be used in the classroom. Users may search by keywords,
grade level, product type and subject. With hundreds of publications and Web sites
indexed, the finder is the best way to locate NASA educational resources.
NASA's Adventures in Rocket Science Educator's Guide
This guide contains 25 activities designed for 4-H Clubs, Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy
Scouts, Girl Scouts, after-school programs, and other informal education venues.
Participants learn about the history and principles of rocketry and NASA's newest
rockets -- Ares I and Ares V. While doing these hands-on activities, participants
also learn about Hero Engines, parachutes and surface area, altitude tracking, and
Newton's Laws Of Motion. Learners can also build four types of rockets and two
types of egg drops. Take a look at the Adventures in Rocket Science Guide!
NASA's Education Materials Finder will help teachers locate resources that can be used in the classroom. Users may search by keywords, grade level, product type and subject. With hundreds of publications and Web sites indexed, the finder is the best way to locate NASA educational resources. (https://www.nasa.gov/education/materials/)
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National Association of Rocketry
Teachers and Youth Group Leaders Resources
The NAR offers Free Resource downloads produced by members who have
helped teachers and youth group leaders like yourself all over the United
States. See if any match what you had in mind for your course!
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Civil Air Patrol (CAP)
Aerospace Library
Dedicated to promoting and sharing Aviation, Air Force, CAP & NASA History, the folks at the Civil Air Patrol have put together a fantastic library of rocketry resources! Check it out! CAP is a partner with NAR and supports TARC with many teams.
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Promotes and Supports Aerospace Education
CAP rocketry programs (for its own members and the general public) help prepare American citizens to meet the challenges of a sophisticated aerospace society and understand its related issues.
CAP offers national standards-based educational products, including a secondary textbook, Aerospace: The Journey of Flight, and the middle-school-level Aerospace Dimensions. Aerospace Education Members can get classroom materials and lessons plans from CAP.
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Rocketry School Supplies Provided by Donors
As teachers, you know your students' needs best. Donorschoose.org is available to provide an avenue for public school teachers to submit project requests for the specific materials their students need to learn. As their name implies, donors choose which projects to support. Once a project is funded, they deliver the materials directly to the school. In return, teachers submit photos of the project in use and thank-you notes from students, which are then sent to the project's donors.
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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
STEM K-12 Outreach
What is Aerospace Engineering? Aerospace engineering is the branch of engineering focused on the design, construction, and testing of aircraft and spacecraft. It is broken into two major overlapping disciplines: aeronautical engineering (for vehicles that stay within Earth's atmosphere) and astronautical engineering (for vehicles that travel beyond Earth's atmosphere). Aerospace engineering applies the fascinating science behind the forces of nature and the physical properties of aircraft, rockets, and spacecraft. Check out these STEM K-12 resources.
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narTcert
NAR will provide "narTcert" to any NAR member who is a professional classroom teacher with or without a science/math background, an educator teaching an after-school program, a home school teacher or an informal educator with a youth organization. This means the opportunity is open to anyone who wants to teach rocketry on any level. The educator can be a total beginner or an experienced flyer, but both will have to undergo the certification process to be identified by NAR as being qualified to launch with students. Get started today.
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Estes
Estes Educator
It's spring...the prime time for model rocketry at schools! Estes Educator works
with many educators daily, getting lots of calls and emails from teachers and youth
group leaders who have never built and launched a model rocket but who want to
do that with their students.
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American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
High School Student Memberships
The AIAA is excited to announce a new level of membership for high school students. Designed exclusively for students in 6th through 12th grades, the free AIAA High School Membership provides activities, competitions, and scholarships that will promote STEM and STEAM educational programs. Students can become members today at aiaa.org/hs. “We are thrilled to welcome students into AIAA at the earliest stages of their academic journey – during high school. We are committed to helping guide these students along their paths to a rewarding aerospace career,” said Dan Dumbacher, AIAA Executive Director. “These budding aerospace scientists and engineers can gain experience, mentorship, and access to resources to help them succeed. AIAA will serve as their vital lifelong link to reliable resources and growth opportunities.
AIAA’s goal is to promote equality of knowledge and opportunity from the start for all students. We see this membership opportunity as part of our outreach to help build a future aerospace workforce that represents the diversity of perspective and thought needed in the industry. The aerospace industry must embrace diversity of all forms in order to meet the challenges of the future.”
The new AIAA High School Membership complements the free AIAA Educator Associate Membership offered to K-12 teachers, which helps enhance and solidify the impact of teachers on the future of aerospace.
· AIAA Mentor Match. This unique program helps students find, connect, and gain insights on how to succeed in aerospace by matching them with professional members.
· STEM-focused webinars and on-demand content. This content is inspired by students, for students.
· AIAA Engage. This exclusive community platform connects students with peers and provides access to the High School Student Library.
· Design competitions. Students can compete in annual design challenges spanning the aerospace technical fields.
· Online subscription to Aerospace America. Get in-depth insight on the subject matter shaping the aerospace industry with this monthly digital publication.
Discounts to AIAA forums and events. Save on AIAA forums and professional development seminars that provide students with opportunities to network with professional members who will be a lifelong link to the aerospace community.
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National Association of Rocketry
Junior Member Science Fair Contest
NAR Junior members: Have you done a science fair project that involves model rocketry? If so, you can enter your project into the NAR Junior Member Science Fair Contest. Up to six winners will receive free NAR membership renewals including First Class delivery of Sport Rocketry magazine! If you don’t have a science fair project involving model rocketry, start thinking ahead to next year, because the NAR will run this same contest next year. Go to: https://www.nar.org/nar-junior-member-science-fair-contest/ for contest rules and information.
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NASA
Makes Finding Teaching Materials Easy
Looking for something different? Check out NASA's A-Z list of
education opportunities that NASA offers throughout the year.
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Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC)
TARC and AFJROTC
Get to know your AFJROTC Unit Commander or their education officer and see how you might work together to promote model rocketry. To find your local unit, look here and the search engine will generate a map with unit locations and contact information. You can also do a simple web search to find the many AFJROTC rocket activities. Alternatively, for more information on AFJROTC, contact AFJROTC Headquarters, 60 West Maxwell Blvd., Maxwell AFB, AL 36112-6501; by phone 1-334-953-7513, or online. AFJROTC is a partner with NAR and supports TARC with many teams.
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4-H
Uses Model Rocketry for Science, Technology, Engineering
and Math (STEM)
Rocketry is one of the most enjoyable projects 4-H has to offer. 4-H
and the National Association of Rocketry have formed a partnership
to help students learn about model rocketry and STEM.
Delaware County and Pennsylvania State University
Delaware County 4-H, for example, provides Rocketry School Enrichment and
After School Enrichment Programs that help students meet Pennsylvania
Academic Standards in science. 4-H project books are available for Delaware
County, Pennsylvania classroom teachers, home school families, and after
school clubs to use with students.
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CAP
Promotes and Supports Aerospace Education
CAP educational programs (for its own members and the general
public) help prepare American citizens to meet the challenges of a
sophisticated aerospace society and understand its related issues. CAP and the national Association of rocketry have formed a partnership to
help students learn about model rocketry and STEM.
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Estes
Help NASA Find New Planetary Systems -- Become a Disk Detective!
NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer telescope and other observatories. In
this citizen science project, you'll view animated images of disk candidates and
classify them, distinguishing good candidates from galaxies, asteroids and image
artifacts.
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NCASE
National Aviation Hall of Fame Issues "Call for Entries" for A. Scott Crossfield Aerospace Teacher of the Year
Founded in 1986 by a famed research test pilot, the late A. Scott Crossfield, the award is a juried competition open to educators from grades kindergarten through twelfth grade in a public, private, parochial, charter school, or homeschool setting. Nominees can also be teachers in non-traditional learning environments. Nominations will be examined by a review committee of aerospace and education professionals for documentation of each nominees' effectiveness, creativity, and ability to maintain high standards for their students and themselves with aerospace being the core subject matter or their curricula.
Scott Crossfield (1921-2006) was inducted into the NAHF in 1983 in recognition of his contributions as a naval aviator, aerospace engineer, and test pilot. Crossfield established the award to recognize dedicated and talented aerospace educators who; set high standards for students and demand excellence in performance; strive to improve their personal academic competence and teaching ability; perform their teaching duties in an exemplary manner, resulting in true learning by students; demonstrate creativity in developing and utilizing materials to enhance the teaching of aerospace; maximize student involvement and gear activities to improve learning or create and have developed a one-time project or program of such significance that it has a major impact on the teaching of aerospace education.
The Dee Howard Education Fund Launched; The Journey Begins
The Dee Howard Education Fund (DHEDF) has announced the launch of the Fund's website and social media platforms.
The Mission of the Dee Howard Education Fund is to develop (in collaboration with others) programming, resources, curriculum, and initiatives to engage primarily underserved Pre-K thru 12 students in STEAM learning based on the use of automotive and/or aeronautical project-based learning pathways.
Dee used to say, "it's amazing how much you can get done if you don't care who gets the credit for it." DHEDF recognizes that there are many fine organizations throughout the U.S. who are doing great work in the Pre-K through 12 sectors DHEDF is focused on, i.e., Automotive and Aerospace. "Our goal at DHEDF is to share their stories, spread the word about their great work, and create a database of the work being done by DHEDF and others," said Wayne Fagan, Chair.
A calendar of events is included on the website so stakeholders can organize their schedules to take advantage of the events being planned. In addition, the posting of announcements through the 'News' section is available. On the site's Blog page, a forum for dialogue can be created so everyone can learn from each other and better serve their respective communities and students.
"To paraphrase Neil Armstrong, what we have launched today is a small first step, it is a work in process," said Fagan. "The more it is used and the more information you provide to us, the more information we will be able to post and the more of a useful tool it will be for each of us."
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Space History:
April 1, 1945: The U.S. Army fired the first of 17 Jet Propulsion Laboratory Private F rockets at Hueco Range at Fort Bliss, Texas as part of its historic Ordnance/CIT ballistic rocket program.
April 4, 1960: Frank D. Drake initiated Project Ozma using the 85-foot Howard E.
Tatel Radio Telescope at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank,
W. Va. It was the first systematic attempt to detect artificial radio signal patterns
from nearby stars. After 150 hours of listening, the project returned no evidence.
However, Project Ozma was the precursor for many more, increasingly sophisticated searches which continue today.
April 6, 1965: The United States launched Intelsat I, the first commercial
communications satellite, into geostationary orbit. Also called "Early Bird," the
satellite provided the first scheduled transoceanic television service and was
operational for 3.5 years.
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April 11-17, 1970: NASA launched Apollo 13 via a Saturn-V rocket. About 56 hours into the flight, an oxygen tank in the Apollo service module exploded and damaged several of the systems, including life support. People throughout the world watched, waited and hoped as NASA personnel on the ground and the Apollo crew worked together to find a way safely home. Astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert used the lunar module as a lifeboat before returning to the control module for reentry. After a dramatic period of innovative recalculation at Mission Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Houston, Texas, the crew returned safely six days later.
April 26, 1980: The U.S. Department of Defense launched the NavStar 6
navigation satellite via Atlas F rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
The NavStar Global Positioning System (GPS) is a radio-positioning system of satellites providing navigation and timing information to military and civilian users
across the globe.
April 29, 1985: NASA launched the space shuttle Challenger (STS-51B) from
Kennedy Space Center, Fla. It was the first operational flight for the Spacelab
orbital laboratory series developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). The
orbiter made its first crosswind landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California at
the end of this mission.
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April 24, 1990: NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope on space shuttle Discovery (STS-31). Soon after launch, controllers found the telescope was flawed by a mirror defect only 1/25th the width of a strand of human hair. Scientists found a way to work around it using computer enhancement, and engineers planned a shuttle repair mission to fully correct it. Hubble has made many important astronomical discoveries, including generating images of galaxy M87 and providing evidence of a potentially massive black hole.
April 3, 1995: NASA launched the MicroLab 1 mini-satellite on a Pegasus rocket
carried aloft by an L-1011 aircraft flying out of Vandenberg Air Force Base in
California. The mini-satellite carried meteorological experiments designed to track
lightning and to provide detailed temperature and moisture profiles across the
globe. Data from this mini-satellite has shown more than 1.2 billion lightning
flashes occur around the world every year, with more lightning strikes occurring
over land masses than over the oceans.
April 4, 2000: Russia launched Soyuz TM-30 from The Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan on the last Soyuz mission to the 14 year-old Mir space station.
Cosmonauts Zalyotin and Kaleri reactivated the uninhabited station and used two
Progress spacecraft to raise the station's orbit. Prior to this mission, Mir's orbital
plane was only around 120 degrees away from the International Space Station,
making transport between the two stations impossible.
April 15, 2005: Russia launched Soyuz-TMA 6 from The Baikonur Cosmodrome in
Kazakhstan carrying the Expedition 10 crew to the International Space Station.
The crew included three astronauts; Sergei Krikalev (Russian), John Phillips
(American) and Robert Vittori (Italian.) During the mission, Krikalev broke the
record for total time in space.
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