To complete a series of low-cost, yet high impact, practical space science projects which help to crystallise and make more tangible the reality of modern spaceflight, both manned and unmanned. The goals are to broaden the grasp and comprehension of both current and intended future space exploration missions through a highly innovative, hands-on simulations approach, which touches on many of the following Maths, Science & Technology disciplines and sub-disciplines:-
Key Program achievements in initial six months (Jan-June 2002)
Constructed first 3D scale models of key interplanetary space probes including Cassini-Huygens
, Voyager, Mars Global Surveyor, Stardust & NEAR (Eros orbiter/lander)
First steps into long range radio communications & use of radio technology for remote sensing, spacecraft navigation and telemetry applications in spaceflight
Built a miniature asteroid modelled around 433 Eros and simulated its shape, surface features, rotational geometry and a spacecraft fly by encounter in 3D space.
Tracked an entire Shuttle mission from launch through orbital maneouvres to landing (STS-109)
Persuaded NASA to include International Space Station (ISS) fly over times for Dhaka, Bangladesh on its website - thereby potentially opening up observation windows of the orbital complex to a whole new major world population centre of 130 million people!!!
Built a surface model of Mars in back yard with realistic simulation of colour/spectral properties, depiction of surface topography including rocks, mountains, plains and canyon - all to relative scale
Simulated Mars surface exploration using micro rovers which mimicked NASA's Mars Pathfinder mission, with 2-way radio communications in the form of remote control rover navigation (uplink) & live UHF video transmissions (downlink)
Placed name in Mars database for inclusion & onward forwarding to Mars via NASA's 2003 MER program. Propagated this initiative to a cluster of friends and relatives, most of whom followed suit to include their own names as participation in the Mars exploration program!
Made full & extensive use of internet resources - which served as a highly instrumental research tool - to fully "modernise" all prior knowledge and learnings of the past 20 years in Astronomy & Spaceflight
Recorded all major activities, simulations & project experiments in full colour video (Hi-8, hi-res PAL format)
