News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2021-01-26-ast
January 26, 2021
AST Selected to Work with NASA
Launched in 2016, the College of the Canyons Aerospace and Sciences Team (AST)—which
includes High Altitude Student Payload (HASP) and RockSat-X—continues to secure its
positive reputation of being selected for space flight on NASA student platforms and
successfully competing at the university level.
As a result, COC was one of 10 California community colleges selected to work with
NASA and the California Space Grant Consortium to enhance Science, Technology, Engineering
and Math (STEM) preparation and provide a bridge opportunity for 100 community college
students to study STEM fields at the university level.
The partnership provided COC AST with a $7,150 grant to fund 11 students with $650
scholarships for project-related expenses and $2,500 for materials.
"I am astounded that our community college team has competed and successfully been
selected to launch experiments to space for six consecutive years and I am always
impressed by the caliber of expertise and professionalism demonstrated by our students,”
said Teresa Ciardi, a physical science instructor at the college.
Ciardi and Greg Poteat, an adjunct manufacturing instructor, provide the teams with
guidance and support as co-advisors.
“Our team has an excellent reputation with NASA and is considered one of the ‘veteran
HASP teams’ who can answer questions for any team who may need help,” added Ciardi.
Most recently, the team’s reputation has led to the creation of a community college
internship program with Las Cumbres Observatory in Santa Barbara, which will consider
COC students as the primary focus for the student pool.
To date, the team has flown four high altitude balloon missions aboard the NASA HASP
system; two to collect interplanetary dust particles, and two to neutralize harmful
acids within the upper stratosphere.
Since its inception in 2015, HASP had led to 68 internships and scholarships for participating
students, including a $2,500 grant from Aerojet Rocketdyne.
With the help of student-designed flight computers, the COC team is currently working
on launching, flying, and safely landing an autorotational reentry vehicle to test
a novel approach to entry, descent, and landing.
As part of its RockSat-X project, the team is conducting research in the region of
space just beyond the Karman line, which is approximately 100 miles above the planet.
Aside from providing students with networking and mentorship opportunities, students
have also gained invaluable hands-on and practical experience.
“It has been great practical experience giving me an idea of what working in the real
world will be like,” said Ganiru Ekwekwuo, RockSat-X project manager. “It has given
me a lot of leadership and real-world experience.”
A first-generation college student, Ekwekwuo plans to double major in electrical engineering
and computer science with hopes of doing innovative work in the robotics and medical
fields.
“It is a dream come true,” said the Canyon Country resident. “Being able to have these
options as a woman is incredible. I never thought I’d have this opportunity as a community
college student.”
For fellow RockSat-X team member Natalie Aliaga, working on a large-scale project
has given her the confidence to pursue a career in mechanical engineering.
“It has taught me to not be afraid to put yourself out there,” said Aliaga, who is
the RockSat-X mechanical lead. “It has opened my eyes to different variations used
in the design world from theoretical. Actual renderings and fabrication all played
their own role in me deciding to study mechanical engineering.”
The recent grant from the California Space Grant Consortium also allowed the team
to participate in a virtual NASA conference to learn about current research challenges,
attend a research seminar, and meet with NASA scientists and engineers to discuss
their research and get inspirational career counseling advice. Students will also
present posters of their team projects to NASA scientists and engineers.
The team worked remotely and submitted a 2021 HASP proposal while completing work
on their 2021 NASA RockSat-X payload.
"The greatest barrier for this team each year is funding for materials, space flight,
and student travel to NASA sites for testing and launch,” said Ciardi. “We all work
constantly to secure enough donations to complete our NASA missions, and we are hugely
thankful to all who have donated to the team."
COC AST is a team of students, faculty members, and alumni that build instruments
to conduct research in the upper atmosphere and space.