Launch your space mission with the Space Generation and UP Aerospace

With the kind support of UP Aerospace the SGAC is now able to offer sub-orbital launches for small experiments at the lowest cost possible. Under this offer, an experiment can be flown into space, recovered, and provided back to young experimenters for as little as US$2000.

UP Aerospace’s basic "TinySat" container with 182 cubic centimeters / 11.1 cubic inches of usable volume and 42.5 grams / 1.5 ounces of payload mass will be discounted to US$2000 for Space Generation members. A similar scale of discount will apply to heavier payloads.

Thanks to micro-electronics, it's amazing how creative and capable the experiments are that have already been flown. In a recent space launch, a high school in the Netherlands created an impressive microgravity experiment. It was like a mini TV studio -- with a micro video camera, flash memory card, and white LEDs for "studio" lights -- plus a small tube filled with items that were captured on video floating in microgravity. All of this was inside of an UP Aerospace TinySat unit.

What can you launch?

As far as the types of research that can be done in a TinySat, that's only limited by the imagination. Some examples include:

• Photographic film to capture and record streaks of cosmic rays (including galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles).
• The effects of radiation on seed germination, bacteria and cell-culture growth, etc., are simple scientific tests that can be performed.
• More sophisticated systems, such as the "mini TV studio" to video and study the effects of microgravity on small objects.

Very young "scientists” (Kid’s experiments)

For our very young "scientists" (elementary to junior high school students), the very simple experiments that can be conducted by these youngsters include:

• Cosmic-radiation-durability tests of memory cards / sticks and
• Seeing how well popcorn kernels pop after space exposure.

Although certainly not ground-breaking science, they are learning about control groups and the scientific method -- via a flight on a real space-flying rocket. So it's an exhilarating hands-on experience for them as well.

How it works

For the TinySats, payloads and experiments can be just about anything. The only two significant exceptions are:

1. No living creatures (no bugs, mice, etc.). Things such as cell cultures would be fine, however.
2. No RF devices without special pre-approval from UP Aerospace's engineering department. If a device needs electrical power to operate (such as a battery), it needs to be incorporated into the TinySat.

It is common and popular for researchers to design-in a g-switch / inertia switch to turn on their experiments at vehicle lift-off. The vehicle leaves the pad at 14 g's. So a 10-g inertia switch would be ideal. Some researchers design their own with ball bearings & springs; that's an experiment in and of itself. Other researchers simply purchase an off the shelf unit.

The experiment / rocket integration process is simple, too: UP Aerospace provides the TinySat containers directly to the people developing the experiments. And when their experiments are ready, a few weeks before the space flight they send the TinySats back to UP Aerospace for integration with the rocket.

Costs

TinySats

The pricing for TinySat units / experiments is based on a sliding scale influenced by experiment weight.

For SGAC members, the basic "TinySat" container with 182 cubic centimeters / 11.1 cubic inches of usable volume and 42.5 grams / 1.5 ounces of payload mass will be discounted to $2K. A number of very creative experiments are possible in this mass category -- such as sheets of photographic film to capture and record streaks of cosmic rays (including galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles).

The same discount applies to heavier experiments. For instance, a 70.9 gram / 2.5 oz. payload would be $3K. And a 99.2 gram / 3.5 oz. payload would be $4K.

NOTE: the above mass specifications are for the payload contents. No one needs to consider the mass of the container itself.

Contact us for more detailed pricing.

Larger experiments

If an experimenter or team would like a much more sizable payload container, there are two other standard units: the PTS-4 and PTS-10. ("PTS" is UP Aerospace's acronym for Payload Transportation System.) These are rugged ("space-rated") aluminum payload cylinders, with aluminum closures, that slide into the rocket's airframe like "batteries in a flashlight.” The PTS-4 is 10.4 cm / 4 in. tall and can transport up to 1.8 kg / 4 pounds. And the PTS-10 is 25.4 cm / 10 in. tall and can transport up to 4.5 kg / 10 pounds. The diameter of both are 25.4 cm / 10 in. Through the SGAC discount, a PTS-4 would be $15K and a PTS-10 would be $30K.

UP Aerospace's PTS units provide, of course, substantial volume and mass capabilities -- and thus extremely broad experiments and space-research opportunities. Further information on the PTS units is available on request.

How to launch your sub-orbital space mission?

SGAC and UP Aerospace makes this opportunity available to all members of the Space Generation. The only two major requirements we have are that you have the support of your SGAC Regional Coordinator and that you write a report about your experiment so that the whole Space Generation community can follow your progress.

To qualify, follow these simple rules:

1. Design an experiment that meets the guidelines above and the full guidelines of UP Aerospace (available on request).
2. Submit a mission application for approval by the SGAC Council and a flight suitability check by UP Aerospace.
3. Tell us you have submitted your application and email any file attachments

You will then receive an approval from your region's SGAC Regional Coordinator and from UP Aerospace. Once approval has been granted to launch:

4. Pay UP Aerospace for the launch slot, at their super cheap Space Generation rates
5. Build your experiment inside the TinySat or PTS container.
6. Deliver your payload to UP Aerospace on time
7. Write up and submit a report to your regional coordinator at the time of your launch, and after you have processed your results.

• UP Aerospace website
• Read about the launch vehicle
• Learn about sub-orbital space flight at Wikipedia