THE JOINT RUSSIAN-AUSTRALIAN HIGH SCHOOL MICROSATELLITE PROJECT: The Australian Perspective

摘要

In 1999 two Australian high schools became involved in a Russia-based international space education project based around the 'hands-on' construction and operation of a micro-satellite for geophysical research. Initiated and overseen by the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, this international space education program links a Russian high school, the School of Computer Technology in Obninsk, with two schools in Sydney, New South Wales, Knox Grammar School and Ravenswood School for Girls. Conceived as a successor to the Russian-French student satellite collaboration of 1997, this project involves the Russian and Australian students in the development and operation of a scientific micro-satellite, as well as the analysis of the data provided by its on-board instrumentation. Providing a 'hands-on' approach to science and technology studies, this project gives the students the opportunity to participate in a space engineering project that will contribute to geophysical research on the Earth's magnetosphere: some of the experiments that it will carry out have not been conducted before. The Australian students will have the opportunity to receive data from the satellite via ground-stations built in Sydney. The satellite construction and operation project is itself part of a broader educational program which includes opportunities for the students in both countries to communicate directly with each other over the internet and also participate in a range of associated on-line educational activities. Student exchanges between Australia and Russia also contribute to the educational experience. This paper will outline planning and operation of the 'school research satellite' project from the point of view of the Australian schools involved and assess its success to date, with the project due to be completed in 2001. It will also consider the lessons learned by the participating school administrations in the management of the project and some of the issues that arose.