UNCW heading to space

A small group of students at UNCW is making big plans: they want to go to outer space. Seniors Andrew Whitley and Mark Smith are the project directors for "Project Helios," part of a nationwide competition called the SEDS Innovation Challenge.

Project Helios is a combined project between the Society of Physics (SPS) and the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS). They plan on sending unmanned balloons and "rockoons" (rockets being launched from weather balloons) into near or suborbital space.

UNCW will be competing against five other universities including MIT, the University of Alabama Huntsville and the University of Arizona - all nationally recognized for their advancements in space technology and engineering. Whichever school sends their "rockoon" the highest will win the competition and a grant towards further research.

"We hope to send our rocket about 30 miles up," said Whitley. "The balloon will carry the rocket about 20 miles, until the helium expands and the balloon pops. Then we'll activate the rocket from the ground and hopefully send it to space."

The rocket will house a camera which will take pictures of the voyage. These photos will contribute to the research we do here at UNCW.

"The preparation for this competition includes several months of research into aerodynamic, thermodynamic, mechanical and electronic design," explains senior Erik Minges, a developmental lead for Project Helios. Because the project incorporates so many types of research and design, students from over half a dozen majors are participating, including physics, chemistry, computer science, math and film studies.

"We hope it will attract positive media attention, both local and national, toward UNCW as a whole," said Minges. "It will also reflect positively on the ingenuity of UNCW students, attracting many prospective students to study at UNCW, especially in the areas of science."

"We want this project to be the beginning of a continuing space program at UNCW," said Whitley. He's hoping that this project will help expand the physics department and provide more resources for space research here at UNCW.

"It should also stimulate interest in advanced studies and research in physics through group interaction," said Minges. "We're employing a non-traditional research method that will follow cutting-edge designs for future government and/or institutional purposes."

The Project Helios team meets once a week in DeLoach Hall to discuss and design their "rockoon." They plan to have their initial design complete by the end of February.

"Hopefully, we'll have our first launch right after spring break," said Whitley. The first test will include a launch of a tethered weather balloon. They'll attach a payload to the balloon in order to test the communication equipment. They're calling this test the "Seahawk I."

"We want to do a test launch on UNCW campus in order to raise student interest," said developmental lead Anthony Tatum. "We're going to try to launch it off of the Fischer Center or something cool like that."

"And we'll try to get pictures of campus from our test launch," added Whitley. "We'll try to put them up on the website."

The actual competition takes place in Nevada sometime in August. The Project Helios team will send four to five members to the competition site while the remaining members work from Wilmington.

"We're really exited about getting UNCW's name out there," said Minges. "We hope this will convince employers to look more closely at UNCW graduates."

"The only thing holding us back now is funding," explained Whitley. Project Helios is hoping to receive funding from SGA. They are also applying for private grants from local branches of GE and Cornell.

"With the help of this funding, we can gain some really cool resources and research materials," said Whitley. "GE is potentially donating some aerospace equipment which would be really beneficial."

"We might hold some fundraisers on campus," said Smith. "We're considering holding a benefit concert, or hosting a 'Pie in the Sky' contest where students get the opportunity to pie their professors."

With enough funding and local support, Project Helios will become the first group from Wilmington to go to space.