NSBE Space
2010-2011 Projects
A Special Interest Group of the National
Society of Black Engineers
Administrative Projects
|
NSBE Space Board Leadership
Retreat |
NSBE
Space leaders will gather for a Fall 2010 weekend planning session at NSBE World
Headquarters, located in Alexandria, VA, to organize SIG activity and team
build. The in-person meeting
facilitates bonding and communication among Space SIG leadership. The meeting is held at NSBE World
Headquarters to better orient Space SIG leadership to the Society and to
build relationships with key headquarters staff members. Short range (FY 10-11) and medium range (FY
11-16) planning is conducted during this weekend retreat. |
|
Space Technology and Ski 2011 (STS-2011) |
NSBE
Space technology project volunteers conduct a January 2011 3.5-day working
session and half day ski outing for its principal technical projects and
those of partnered NSBE Alumni Extension chapters. The STS-2011 helps overcome some of the
difficulties of distributed engineering projects by facilitating face to face
project work and bonding opportunities.
Rapid brainstorming and structured design sessions will be used to
accelerate engineering development.
The face to face nature also helps draw new volunteers to the
projects. The meeting is held in
Denver, Colorado at the Colorado School of Mines. |
Technology R&D Projects
|
Kiswahili for “He makes fly
(into the skies)”, Project Arusha is a conceptual design project of the Space
SIG to develop a concept for a 48-person lunar facility intended to spur
development of commercial enterprise and continuous scientific research on
the Moon. Arusha is intended to
represent opportunity beyond Apollo or Constellation-style exploration of the
Moon. Through Arusha, NSBE Space seeks
to provide a future vision for human space activity and to drive discussions
to accelerate the commercial use of the Moon, in line with the provisions of
the National Aeronautics and Space Act.
It is our vision that a lunar facility should be established to serve
as an incubator for lunar corporations, providing a process to grow
Moon-based industries and spin them off to build independent
settlements. Arusha technical papers
have been presented at the 2006 ASCE Earth & Space Conference, 2007 IEEE
International Conference on System of Systems Engineering, and 2010 NSBE
Aerospace Systems Conference. Current work surrounds a six-crew large pressurized
rover, one of the transport elements associated with the Arusha
architecture. Design activity is
concerned with the cabin interior, vehicle power systems, and vehicle
mobility systems. Through the use of a temporary NASA equipment loan, a low fidelity
mockup was constructed in 2009 for a habitable volume usability evaluation,
with lessons learned for FY 2010-2011 design improvements. |
|
|
Small Satellites: NSBESAT 1
& 2 |
This multi-year
research project will enable NSBE Space to understand the process of
manufacture and launch of small satellites.
The ultimate goal is the NSBE design and launch of a series of small
satellites. This will provide hands-on training for
professionals and undergraduate and graduate students interested in
developing satellite missions, and create a new technological capability
within NSBE. FY 10-11 activity centers
on initial conceptual design for a telescope mini-observatory small
satellite. This project will begin the process of building
technical skills and hardware, software, and operations experience within the
NSBE Space community that can then be leveraged against larger, long-term
projects such as Arusha and follow-on satellite projects. |
|
Mars Desert
Research Station |
The Space SIG will send a
six-person expedition to the Mars Society’s desert research station in Utah
for a 14-day mission. Competitively
selected Collegiate and Alumni members will conduct peer-reviewed research
related to scientific exploration of Moon and Mars. This facility, built and operated by the
Mars Society, provides a full-immersion into a Mars-analogue environment,
allowing research teams to study various aspects of life on Mars. The research activities conducted at the
station are intended to contribute to future planetary missions by space
agencies and potentially private space organizations. |
Meeting and Conference Projects
|
Aerospace Systems Conference Kickoff Mixer |
This
mixer, to be held at the 2011 NSBE National Convention, will introduce the
upcoming 2012 NSBE Aerospace Systems Conference and will showcase highlights
of the 2010 NSBE Aerospace Systems Conference in a festive, social atmosphere
with hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, giveaways, video, and music. Space SIG decorations and models or small
exhibits will complete the ambiance.
Extensive advertising before and during Convention will drive traffic
to the mixer. Information will be made
available for participation at the 2012 NSBE Aerospace Systems Conference,
including call for papers, sponsorship, exhibit, and training opportunities. |
|
National Convention - NSBE
Galactic 2011 |
NSBE Space
hosts its NSBE Galactic activities at the 2011 NSBE National Convention,
including on or off-site lunches, a technical exhibit, and a seminar series
jointly held in conjunction with other SIGs.
It provides national NSBE visibility for the Space SIG and its
sponsors and is a key opportunity to expose prominent members of the space
community to NSBE. |
|
Professional Development
Conference - PDSpace 2010 |
PDSpace 2010 is the NSBE
Space Special Interest Group seminar session at NSBE’s Fall Regional
Conferences. PDSpace features
information and updates regarding NSBE Space projects and workshops of
general professional development interest to space professionals, advocates,
and enthusiasts. It may additionally
encompass technical workshops and activities of interest to collegiate and
pre-college membership. |
|
2012 Aerospace Systems
Conference |
NSBE Space is
partnering with the NSBE Aerospace SIG for the second Aerospace Systems
Conference. To date the only purely
technical NSBE conference, the second bi-annual Aerospace Systems Conference
will be held February 2012 in the Los Angeles, CA area. FY 2010-2011 goals include the securing of
the 2012 conference contract, inclusive of initial payments, and launching
the Call for Papers. |
Outreach & Education Projects
|
Who’s
Who Among Black Space Professionals |
This
book provides recognition of high-caliber professionals in the space
industry. No less than 100 African
Americans in space will be featured in this biographical directory,
encompassing industry, academia, and government. The book will be available in hardcopy
format, with online sales and an initial public release at the 2011 NSBE
National Convention. |
|
10011
(100 by 2011) |
The
Space SIG is launching a promotional campaign to place at least one copy of
the 2010 NSBE Aerospace Systems Conference Proceedings in 100 university
libraries across the country by 2011.
The technical papers in the proceedings provide research data that
will aid aerospace-related students and inspire their academic performance. The presence of the publication in
university libraries will also help expand NSBE’s technical reputation. |
|
African
American Aerospace Outreach |
NSBE
Space SIG and Aerospace SIG members will conduct a youth outreach weekend to
promote STEM careers in aerospace. Friday evening features an overnight
astronomy party at an observatory.
Saturday events include robotics demonstrations, ham radio, traveling
space museum exhibits, and model rocket launches. Saturday evening will feature a networking
reception to honor aerospace youth outreach workers and promote the 2012 NSBE
Aerospace Systems Conference. Invited
attendees will include media, local politicians, celebrities, engineers, and
corporate executives. |
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