MOREHEAD, Kentucky USA — Morehead State University students recently field-tested their classroom knowledge by launching several rockets into the Rowan County sky.

Prior to the launch date, the students assembled the rockets in class. Front row are Marc Beck, left, and Jennifer Carter. Back row are Amber Skeens, left, and Clay Graves.

The students were enrolled in an experimental course “Introduction to Space Flight” in which they studied rocket systems, propulsion technologies, guidance systems and orbital mechanics.

“We have been working with model rockets that are real working rockets,” said Jennifer Carter, an Olive Hill graduate research assistant in MSU’s Ronald G. Eaglin Space Science Center. “We built some rockets and bought some engines and igniters and then launched them Dec. 11 at the Jaycee Farm here in Morehead.

The rockets ranged from about one to three feet in length. Prior to the launch, the students calculated how high the rockets would go, based on the size and weight of the vehicle and the specific impulse power of the engines.

Jennifer carter, and Doug Thorpe of Thortek Innovations, place a D-class engine in a Max Rax rocket.

“We had some rockets that probably made it to 1,100 feet,” Carter said, which was near the students’ estimate.

A wireless Booster Vision camera was attached to one of the rockets.

“On the ground, we had a laptop with a receiving antenna, and we were able to receive live footage of the rocket’s flight,” she said.

The 2007 Fall term was the first time the class has been offered. It was developed by Dr. Ben Malphrus, director of the Space Science Center, and Doug Thorpe, president and CTO of Thortek Space Operations, located in Irvine.

Thorpe, who also worked at NASA on the Space Shuttle, taught the class as an adjunct professor, which provided invaluable experience for students studying space science.

From left are: Doug Thorpe of Thortek Innovations of Irvine; Jim Coty Brown, Sandy Hook, Jr.; Jennifer Carter, Olive Hill graduate student; Clay Graves, Maysville freshman; Aaron Stark, Ashland freshman; Marc Beck, Germany graduate student; Amber Skeens, Pikeville senior; and Benjamin Cahall, Mt. Orab, Ohio, freshman.

“A rocket course taught by a rocket scientist. It was an outstanding opportunity for our students,” said Dr. Malphrus.

“The plan is that every other semester when the class is offered, the complexity of the payloads of the model rockets will be increased,” Carter said.

Launching the model rockets was the culmination of weeks of concentrated studying for the students.

“The real learning experience was taking what we had learned in class about propulsion systems and working hands-on with them on a small scale,” she continued. “Then, we related that experience to working with them on a larger scale, like the big space shuttle.”

Additional information is available by calling the space science center at (606) 783-2381.

Copyright © 2007, Morehouse State University.