The UTSA Aeronautics and Rocket Club, in this photo taken before the COVID-19 pandemic, has helped students at Alamo Heights High School design and build the payload section of a rocket.
FEBRUARY 2, 2021 — In a first ever Roadrunner collaboration, the UTSA Aeronautics and Rocket Club (ARC) is working with San Antonio high school students on an important component for their upcoming Spaceport America Cup competition. The UTSA ARC program reached out to Alamo Heights High School, which has a highly recognized rocketry program, to help design and build the payload section for the team’s rocket.
Spaceport competition criteria calls for a section of the rocket to carry a payload that conducts a scientific measurement or experiment while in flight. The UTSA team challenged the Alamo Heights students by creating a competition among two groups to conceptualize the winning payload design. Both groups presented their idea through a critical design review that included a detailed written plan with all steps necessary to execute the payload concept, along with supporting illustrations. The presentations took place in late January with the UTSA ARC selecting an experiment to test sound insulation.
“It's a series of three acoustic test chambers. They're going to put a microphone inside of a cube and then on the walls of that cube. They're going to put different types of foam to see which type of foam works best insulating sound during the rocket launch. Honestly, I wouldn't have thought of that in high school,” said Patrick Cavanagh, ARC vice president and UTSA computer engineering major. “The fact they're high school juniors just blows me away. Everything from their written proposal to CAD drawings looks so professional.”
The student team not selected will have its payload design serve as a contingency in case something were to happen developing the acoustic test chamber payload.
Colin Lang, rocketry teacher at Alamo Heights High School and UTSA alumnus, said the business-like approach from the ARC members with this project had a profound impact on his students.
“The way the UTSA students handled themselves and the way they behave at their meetings was extremely professional. That really impressed me,” said Lang. “We are working with young folks holding themselves to a very high standard and it resulted in inspiring my students to do the same thing.”
The idea for the UTSA/Alamo Heights collaboration came from Erick Castillon, a 2020 mechanical engineering graduate who is also an Alamo Heights alumnus. Castillon developed a reputation as a standout rocketry leader at Alamo Heights and UTSA. He now works for NASA but maintains strong relationships with Lang and the current ARC club. Cavanagh reached out to Castillon about challenges coming up with a payload concept. Castillon knew Alamo Heights students were limited in what they could do this school year due to COVID. He connected ARC and Lang about the payload partnership and it was a liftoff.
“Alamo Heights and UTSA both helped me in my career and I wanted to do something to give back, so I’m happy to know I’m bridging the two programs with the same rocketry goals,” Castillon said. “It feels really good to mix together the two things that helped me the most in my life.”
At a time when NASA is actively looking to develop its next generation workforce, the UTSA and Alamo Heights partnership offers a viable potential to develop future aerospace leaders from San Antonio. It’s a collaboration Lang would like to see continue.
“You’ve got to have someone from UTSA who reaches out to continue this partnership and make it a tradition,” Lang said. “My students don’t get a grade for being in the rocketry program; they do it for the gratification of challenging themselves to learn something new and exciting. To add working with these UTSA students as mentors, and at a high level, is a great opportunity for my kids.”
“I think it puts them in a much better place than most people about to graduate high school,” added Cavanagh. “They get to hear from college students about all the mistakes we made along with tips and tricks we’ve learned. It puts them in a stronger position than most high school students interested in aerospace.”
COVID-19 has created some challenges with the collaboration but everyone adapted through Zoom meetings. The fabrication of the payload design will take place soon at Alamo Heights High School where they have a facility large enough to accommodate social distancing.
The payload is due in late May with the UTSA ARC team competing at the Spaceport America Cup taking place June 22-26, 2021.
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