Small Spacecraft Development Project-Based Learning

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Jeremy Straub, Ronald Arthur Marsh, David J. Whalen

   Pages 1-20

3. Why Start a Small Spacecraft Program

   • Jeremy Straub, Ronald Arthur Marsh, David J. Whalen

   Pages 21-35

4. To Build, Buy, or in Between?

   • Jeremy Straub, Ronald Arthur Marsh, David J. Whalen

   Pages 37-52

5. Starting a Small Spacecraft Program: Types of Programs and Their Benefits and Drawbacks

   • Jeremy Straub, Ronald Arthur Marsh, David J. Whalen

   Pages 53-63

6. Forming a Program: Funding and Organizational Issues

   • Jeremy Straub, Ronald Arthur Marsh, David J. Whalen

   Pages 65-75

7. Forming a Program: Technical and Logistical Issues

   • Jeremy Straub, Ronald Arthur Marsh, David J. Whalen

   Pages 77-99

8. Student Involvement and Risk

   • Jeremy Straub, Ronald Arthur Marsh, David J. Whalen

   Pages 101-128

9. Setting Educational Goals and Formative Assessment

   • Jeremy Straub, Ronald Arthur Marsh, David J. Whalen

   Pages 129-150

10. Summative Assessment

    • Jeremy Straub, Ronald Arthur Marsh, David J. Whalen

    Pages 151-173

11. Results of Prior Assessment Work and Its Utility

    • Jeremy Straub, Ronald Arthur Marsh, David J. Whalen

    Pages 175-222

12. Back Matter

    Pages 223-231

    PDF

This book provides the information that is required to start a small spacecraft program for educational purposes. This will include a discussion of multiple approaches to program formation and build / buy / hybrid decision considerations. The book also discusses how a CubeSat (or other small spacecraft program) can be integrated into course and/or program curriculum and the ancillary benefits that such a program can provide.  The assessment of small spacecraft programs and participatory project-based learning programs is also discussed extensively.  The book presents prior work related to program assessment (both for a single program and internationally) and discusses how similar techniques can be utilized for both formative and summative assessment of a new program.  The utility of these metrics (and past assessment of other programs) in gaining buy-in for program formation and funding is also considered.

• CubeSat
• formative assessment
• project-based learning
• science education
• small spacecraft
• summative assessment

• Department of Computer Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo, USA

  Jeremy Straub

• Department of Computer Science, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, USA

  Ronald Arthur Marsh

• Department of Space Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, USA

  David J. Whalen

Jeremy Straub is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science at the North Dakota State University. Ronald Arthur Marsh is an associate professor and chair of the Computer Science Department at University of North Dakota. David J. Whalen has recently retired from being an associate professor at the John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences in the Space Studies Department at the University of North Dakota.

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