To Infinity And Beyond
PROJECT MORPHEUS
Project Morpheus is NASA's program to deploy an unmanned lab and robotic equipment on the moon, Mars, and asteroids. The vehicle would be reusable and enable space exploration of places deemed unsafe for human exploration. Purdue has partnered with NASA to conduct research and testing for the space program. Students at Purdue have designed and built a rocket engine that could potentially be used to land a vehicle on the moon (Venere, 2011).
Project Morpheus is NASA's program to deploy an unmanned lab and robotic equipment on the moon, Mars, and asteroids. The vehicle would be reusable and enable space exploration of places deemed unsafe for human exploration. Purdue has partnered with NASA to conduct research and testing for the space program. Students at Purdue have designed and built a rocket engine that could potentially be used to land a vehicle on the moon (Venere, 2011).
(bigtennetwork, 2012).
PURDUE SPACE DAY
Purdue Space Day attempts to generate interest among students in grades 3 through 8 in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Every fall since 1996, Purdue students volunteer to help conduct activities to inspire younger children. The event currently attracts over 650 students each year. Since its beginning, over 5,400 grade school students have participated with more than 1,700 Purdue student volunteers. One of the main events each year is a presentation given by a Purdue astronaut. Past astronauts have included Janice Voss and John Blaha. The past successes of Purdue Space Day have allowed it to remain a free event each year (Purdue Space Day, 2014).
(PSDPurdue, 2013).
ZERO-GRAVITY LABS
Each year, Purdue students develop and propose an experiment that requires zero-gravity to conduct. This is part of NASA's Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunity Program (RGSFOP). Purdue students enroll in a yearlong class and begin developing their experiment that they conduct in the Zero-G airplane, nicknamed the "Vomit Comet", during the spring of the following year. Past experiments have included studying fluid contact angles in zero gravity and testing fuel in tanks without gravity. The test results are then compiled into a technical report and given to NASA for use in future engineering projects (Collicott, 2012).
(Chris, 2013).
CONSTELLATION UNIVERSITY INSTITUTES PROJECT
The Constellation University Institutes Project (CUIP) began as a NASA funded initiative to encourage college students to become involved in space exploration. Through the CUIP program, Purdue students were asked to test the technology generated for the NASA rockets. More specifically, some Purdue students conducted research for the assembly of a thrust chamber. Ultimately, the rockets would be sent to work on the International Space Station or to explore the moon. Despite the success in generating interest in space exploration, the CUIP program had to be shut down due to lack of funds (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2009).
(ReelNASA, 2009).