Since 2010, PSP-SL has grown into

an advanced and forefront contender

in the NASA SL competition.

With members from various majors and backgrounds, PSP-SL boasts a diverse setting for teammates to not only provide the team with valuable ideas, but also offer the newer members a chance to get involved in the various aspects of the project, including avionics design, payload, educational outreach, and social ventures.

About SL

Student Launch (SL) is a research-based, competitive, experiential exploration activity that strives to provide relevant, cost-effective research and development of rocket propulsion systems. This project offers multiple challenges reaching a broad audience of middle and high schools, colleges, and universities across the nation.

2021 Project

Project Voss

See Documentation

Proposal

PDR

CDR

FRR

LRR

PLAR

Outreach

Purdue Space Day

Purdue Space Day is an annual event put on by students at Purdue University. There are three age groups: 3rd and 4th, 5th and 6th, and 7th and 8th. Each age group goes through 3 activities through the day and then they have the opportunity to meet an astronaut. This year PSP-SL reached 898 students at this event alone. In total we reach 1,219 students directly throughout this competition year. The team had about 20 members participate in this event with the majority of them being with one activity that the team conducted and others being with other activities and others walking around with the groups to all of the activities. The activity that the team led was water rockets with 5th and 6th graders. Team members were also involved with moon buggies with 3rd and 4th graders, Mars rovers with 7th and 8th graders, a satellite launch with 5th and 6th graders, and the Apollo 13 mission with 5th and 6th graders. Also, two members guide groups of 5th and 6th children through all of the activities. Throughout the year Purdue Space Day has smaller events that PSP-SL participates in. Whether that be an on campus activity with homeschooled students or a trip to a local elementary school to do an activity during a class. The students learn a lot about engineering and space from these activities.

College Mentors for Kids

College Mentors for Kids is a program that Purdue University offers that brings in local students once a week and pairs them with a Purdue student. The team led the activities with groups of 1st- 4th graders. Throughout the year PSP-SL had four events with this group. Some activities that were done with these students were foam rockets, balloon powered rovers, LEGO engines, and straw rockets. Not only did these events educate the students, but they were also able to educate their college mentor about the different engineering topics.

Boy Scouts Space Exploration Merit Badge

The team was able to help a Boy Scout troop obtain their Space Exploration Merit Badge. The team helped the scouts fulfill two of the requirements, building model rockets and learning about the International Space Station. The goal of this activity was to teach the scouts the different parts of a rocket as well as helping them build them so that they would be safe and fly as high as they could. Another goal of the activity was to teach them all of the components of the ISS and how the ISS is a large collaboration of many different countries.