Nov 1, 2024–SystemsGo students from 18 high schools across Texas, Colorado, and New Mexico traveled to the Johnson Space Center in Houston the week of October 28 to present their Flight Profile Review in preparation for the next SystemsGo rocket launches to be held in April and May, 2025.
The teams presented to NASA’s Chris Madsen, Orion Guidance Navigation & Control System Manager. Also in attendance were SystemsGo Executive Director Rebekah Hyatt and Program Director George Burns.
“The development of a mathematical flight profile prior to the design and build of the physical rocket deepens students’ understanding of the physics and the math involved with the Mach 1 rocket,” Hyatt said. “It also places additional emphasis on the importance of research and collaboration.”
According to Burns, the exercise is essential in guiding the students through the rocket design process and prepares them for presentations they will give in college and when they enter the workforce.
“The teams present their mathematical model to a NASA engineer and peers from other schools to prove that their concept can reach Mach 1 and stay below 13,000 feet, using predictions of the vehicle mass and motor system thrust,” Burns said. “Once they’ve proved it can be done mathematically, the students can begin to design and build their launch vehicles.”
SystemsGo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was first developed in 1996 at Fredericksburg High School and now has its curriculum in schools in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Oklahoma and Abu Dhabi. More information at www.systemsgo.org.