The NASA Student Launch, or SL, is a researched-based, competitive, experiential exploration activity. SL has partnered with the Centennial Challenges to provide relevant, cost-effective research and development of rocket propulsion systems. This year’s project offers multiple challenges reaching a broad audience of middle and high schools, colleges and universities, and non-academic teams across the nation through an eight-month commitment to design, construct, and fly payloads and vehicle components and/or to design, construct, and operate ground support equipment. The teams launch the experiments on high-power rockets and share the research results, which will be used in future design and development of NASA projects. The NASA SL will be held April 7-11, 2015, in Huntsville, Alabama.

 

After a competitive proposal selection process, teams participate in a series of design reviews that are submitted to NASA via a team-developed website. These reviews mirror the NASA engineering design lifecycle, providing an experience that prepares students for the Human Exploration and Operations workforce. Teams must complete a Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, Flight Readiness Review, and Launch Readiness Review that includes a safety briefing. Teams must analyze payload and flight data during a Post Launch Assessment Review. In addition, teams must successfully complete an initial and a final Launch Readiness Review that includes a safety inspection prior to launch.

 

Source: NASA Student Launch