From Earth to Galaxy Wisconsin Space Conference 2012 Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 Bay, Green ■ Web Site: Site: Web
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Wisconsin Space Conference Space Wisconsin Proceedings of the 22nd Annual of the 22nd Annual Proceedings wisconsin Space GUrNIaVERnSITtY OCF WoInSCOsNSoINr-GtRiEuEN mBAY Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Wisconsin Space Conference From Earth Galaxy to From From Earth to Galaxy August 16-17, 2012 Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium ■ University of Wisconsin-Green Bay ■ 2420 Nicolet Drive ■ Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 2012 Phone: 920.465.2108 ■ Fax: 920.465.2376 ■ E-mail: [email protected] ■ Web site: www.uwgb.edu/wsgc Whitewater, Wisconsin For information about the programs of the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium, WSGC Members and Institutional Representatives contact the Program Office or any of the following individuals: Lead Institution Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium University of Wisconsin-Green Bay University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Scott Ashmann 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 Affiliates Tel: (920)465-2108; Fax: (920)465-2376 Space Explorers, Inc. Aerogel Technologies, LLC www.uwgb.edu/wsgc George French Stephen Steiner Director Spaceflight Fundamentals, LLC AIAA - Wisconsin Section Bradley Staats R. Aileen Yingst Todd Treichel University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Spaceport Sheboygan (920)465-2327; [email protected] Alverno College Daniel Bateman Paul Smith University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley Program Manager Astronautics Corporation of America Andrew Shears Tori Nelson Steven Russek University of Wisconsin-Green Bay University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (920)465-5078; [email protected] BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute Eric Barnes Karin Borgh University of Wisconsin-Madison Chair, WSGC Advisory Council and Institutional Representative Carroll University Gerald Kulcinski Mike LeDocq Damon Resnick Western Technical College University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Ronald Perez (608)785-4745 ; [email protected] Carthage College Kevin Crosby University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh Nadejda Kaltcheva WSGC Associate Director for Scholarships/Fellowships College of Menominee Nation Lindsay McHenry Kathy Denor University of Wisconsin-Parkside University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee David Bruning (414)229-3951; [email protected] Concordia University Wisconsin Matthew Kelley University of Wisconsin-Platteville WSGC Associate Director for Student Satellite Programs William Hudson Crossroads at Big Creek William Farrow Coggin Heeringa University of Wisconsin-River Falls Milwaukee School of Engineering Glenn Spiczak (414)277-2241; [email protected] Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Bret Steffen University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan Harald Schenk WSGC Associate Director for Research Infrastructure Great Lakes Spaceport Education Fdn. Gubbi R. Sudhakaran Carol Lutz University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Sebastian Zamfir (608)785-8431; [email protected] Lawrence University Megan Pickett University of Wisconsin-Stout Todd Zimmerman WSGC Associate Director for Higher Education Marquette University John Borg University of Wisconsin-Superior Christopher Stockdale Richard Stewart Marquette University (414)288-7519; [email protected] Medical College of Wisconsin University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Danny A. Riley Rex Hanger WSGC Associate Director for Aerospace Outreach Milwaukee School of Engineering Western Technical College Shelley Lee William Farrow Michael LeDocq Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (608)266-3319; [email protected] Orbital Technologies Corporation Wisconsin Aerospace Authority Eric E. Rice Tom Crabb WSGC Associate Director for Special Initiatives Ripon College Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Nicole Wiessinger Sarah Desotell Shelley A. Lee Wisconsin Department of Transportation Wisconsin Department of Transportation (608)266-8177; [email protected] Saint Norbert College Terry Jo Leiterman Nicole Wiessinger Wisconsin Lutheran College WSGC Associate Director for Industry Program Space Education Initiatives Kerry Kuehn Eric Rice Jason Marcks Orbital Technologies Corporation (608)827-5000; [email protected] See www.uwgb.edu/wsgc for up-to-date contact information FROM GALAXY TO EARTH 22nd Annual Wisconsin Space Conference August 16-17, 2012 Host: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Whitewater, Wisconsin Edited by: R. Aileen Yingst, Director, Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Tori Nelson, Program Manager, Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Sarah Desotell, Assistant Professor, Ripon College Glenn Spiczak, Professor, University of Wisconsin-River Falls Karin Borgh, Executive Director, BioPharmaceutical Technology Center Institute Cover by: Ashley Skalecki, Student Assistant, Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Layout by: Brittany Luedtke, Office Coordinator, Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Published by: Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Copyright © 2013 Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium University of Wisconsin - Green Bay Green Bay, WI 54311 May, 2013 Preface and Acknowledgements So I must confess that I missed the conference this year, but I have a good excuse. On August 5, 2012, I, along with hundreds of my science colleagues (the VIPs were in another room), crowded into a small auditorium at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and anxiously watched the huge screens lining the wall. We were living the “Seven Minutes of Terror,” the approximately seven minutes that it would take the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft to complete entry and descent through the martian atmosphere, going from 13,000 mph to zero in that time, firing up a descent system never before tried on another planet, landing a rover wheels first. Honestly, most of us were terrified. Many of my engineering friends gave the rover no better than even odds of surviving. But she did. And I, along with the Curiosity rover, survived the seven minutes of terror. And now we have a half-ton avatar on Mars, big and beautiful, strong and capable, returning the most glorious science data nearly every day. We all know the old adage: with great risk comes great opportunity. But this mission, with all its new technology could easily have gone the other way, and if it had, what then? Well, I was there when it went the other way. On December 3, 1999, Mars Polar Lander was lost during entry, descent and landing operations. And let me tell you, I like it a great deal better when we land safely. But I can say from experience that if it had gone the other way — if we had lost Curiosity, then it still would have been worth it. Why? Because either way, the entire conversation — in aerospace engineering, in technological advancement, in scientific growth — is different than it would have been had we never tried. And the conversation we had after the crash of Mars Polar Lander was one of the most important factors in the safe landing of Curiosity. We talked, we listened, we learned, we improved, we tried again. That’s what science and engineering are all about. Innovation isn’t safe. When you push the envelope, sometimes it doesn’t open. But innovation, imagination, creativity — all of these things are the wellspring of progress. No matter how many bumps there might be along the way, the way forward goes through risk. I am proud to be involved with these proceedings because each paper, to a greater or lesser extent, represents an individual or a group taking a risk in order to stretch our knowledge. Thank you for your courage, and I encourage everyone in the Wisconsin aerospace community to continue taking those risks because they continue to be the very best way to advance the human condition. Conferences don’t occur in a vacuum, and the Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium office especially thanks our host for this conference, the University of Wisconsin—Whitewater, starting with Conference lead Dr. Rex Hanger and his staff of helpful volunteers. We are grateful to everyone at UWW who made our conference run so smoothly. Thanks must also go to our session moderators and to our poster judges for their conscientious work and their strong support for our students. Our keynote speakers are also to be thanked for adding so much to our conference: Dr. Robert Benjamin who presented, A Visitor’s Guide to the Milky Way, and Dr. John Delano who presented, Astrobiology: NASA’s Multi-Disciplinary Search for Life Beyond the Earth. And once again, I especially appreciate all the scientists, engineers, students, educators and others, who contributed papers to this volume. Those papers represent the hard work and the risks that each contributor has taken to advance their field, and to each of them, I say, thank you, and, as always…. Forward! R. Aileen Yingst, Ph.D. Director Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium Programs for 2012 Student Programs Aerospace Outreach Program • Undergraduate Scholarship The Aerospace Outreach Program provides grant • Undergraduate Research monies to promote outreach programs and projects that • Graduate Fellowship disseminate aerospace and space-related information to • Dr. Laurel Salton Clark Memorial Graduate Fellowship the general public, and support the development and • University Sounding Rocket Team Competition implementation of aerospace and space-related curricula • Student High-Altitude Balloon Launch in Wisconsin classrooms. In addition, this program • Student High-Altitude Balloon Payload supports NASA-trained educators in teacher training • Student High-Altitude Balloon Instrument Development programs. • Industry Member Internships • NASA ESMD Internships • NASA Academy Leadership Internships Special Initiatives