New call for Rocket & Balloon Experiments for University Students

The Simply call for Proposals for 14^th cycle of the Swedish-German REXUS/BEXUS programme is now open up right until the 14^th of Oct 2020, 23:fifty nine (CEST).

The REXUS/BEXUS Programme makes it possible for college students from throughout ESA member states, Slovenia and Canada to implement for a distinctive possibility to fly their experiment to the edge of room on board a sounding rocket (REXUS) or a stratospheric balloon (BEXUS). Every single 12 months around twenty groups take part in this remarkable programme.

Picked groups will have the likelihood to choose element in the scientific and technological journey of producing an experiment, flying it and analysing their success. By means of this fingers-on working experience, members will achieve practical information on each phase of the layout of a room mission, from preliminary layout as a result of to testing and launch. At last, they will be provided the possibility to go to an worldwide symposium and present their results to the scientific community. All through the procedure, members are supported with education and opinions by company and market experts and have the possibility to collaborate with pupil groups from lots of other international locations.

The REXUS sounding rocket and the BEXUS stratospheric balloon

REXUS is a single phase rocket propelled by an Enhanced Orion stable motor and can achieve an altitude of up to ninety km. The rocket is equipped to carry about 45 kg of payload and presents around 3 minutes of minimized gravity flight.

BEXUS is 12 000 m3 stratospheric balloon equipped to carry a payload of 40-100 kg to a floating altitude of twenty-30km. The flight period is generally between one and 5 hours.

What is the timeline for collection?

Programs are now open until 14 Oct 2020, 23:fifty nine (CEST).

As soon as the Simply call for Proposals is shut, the collection procedure is designed of two measures: 

1. All proposals are reviewed for a  preliminary collection and the shortlisted groups are invited to present their challenge at a Collection Workshop held at ESA-ESTEC from 24 to 27 November 2020.
2. The collection workshop consists of lectures provided by experts and displays of the proposed experiments by the groups. After the students’ displays, a panel of experts will talk to questions and make remarks. The selected groups will be knowledgeable soon following the Collection Workshop.

A education week is supplied at the close of January 2021, with the BEXUS balloon launch prepared for Oct 2021 and the REXUS rocket launch marketing campaign in March 2022.

A a lot more comprehensive timeline can be found here.

How to get begun?

In purchase to put together a steady proposal for this remarkable but demanding programme, stick to the underneath measures:

• Kind a crew with at least four college students from various applicable backgrounds who are eligible for sponsorship
• Take a look at the REXUS/BEXUS website to master a lot more about the platforms and demands identified in the consumer manuals
• Have a look at the earlier experiments labeled by place of investigation this sort of as: atmospheric measurements, microgravity investigations, technological know-how demonstrations for upcoming room missions, and even organic sciences
• Suggest an modern and feasible experiment and justify the need to have of the system (REXUS or BEXUS).

I am researching in Germany – How ought to I implement?

As the programme is partly funded by DLR (the German Aerospace Centre), there is a a little various application procedure for college students researching in Germany. Comprehensive particulars can be identified on the REXUS/BEXUS webpage.

How is the programme funded?

The REXUS/BEXUS programme is realised below a bilateral Company Agreement between the German Aerospace Middle (DLR) and the Swedish National Place Company (SNSA). The Swedish share of the payload has been designed offered to college students from other European international locations as a result of a collaboration with the European Place Company (ESA). 

EuroLaunch, a cooperation between the Esrange Place Middle of SSC and the Cellular Rocket Base (MORABA) of DLR, is liable for the marketing campaign management and functions of the launch cars. Professionals from DLR, SSC, ZARM, and ESA give technological and logistic guidance to the pupil groups all over the challenge. REXUS and BEXUS are launched from SSC, Esrange Place Middle in northern Sweden.