UKSEDS Projects

UKSEDS projects provide one of the highlights of getting involved. Through our previous projects, many people have taken part to a greater or lesser extent in the design, management and construction of a variety of space projects.

The best way to get involved with a project is through a branch - so if you have an idea for a project, but no branch locally, why not start one up? See below.

Projects list

Project title	Project status
BURT '99 Rocket	Completed
The Microlight Solar Sail	Design complete, awaiting funding
ESPY - An Educational Microsat	Incomplete due to lack of funding
Aspire I	Completed
Phoenix - A Study of Von Neuman probes	Paper study only - completed
GAS - The Get Away Special	Various payloads designed, none flown
FLA - The Fluid Loop Actuator	Built mainly by UKC - completed
Space biology: An investigation of a Putative Accelerometric Shock Protein (ASP) Response in Bacillius subtilis	Submitted to Novespace

Guidelines for proposing a project

Adapted from an article by David Ian Wade

Selection of a project - Any member of UKSEDS is free to suggest a project for consideration and should be made as a formal proposal considering the following points:
- Aim of the project
- Work to be completed
- Any testing required
- Timescale
- Expected results and usefulness
- Estimated cost
The UKSEDS committee or appointed reprentatives will assess any proposals. UKSEDS will help co-ordinate and provide contacts during the initial stages of the project, including the formation of a project committee which should run the project. UKSEDS will act as a Big Brother figure here, providing assistance when requested but leaving the project committee to perform the day-to-day actions.
Ownership of the project and data - UKSEDS will maintain overall authority of the project whilst the project team will be responsible for the daily running of the project, reporting regularly to the UKSEDS committee.

Similarly, returned data will technically be owned by UKSEDS, but in theory will be distributed as required.
Use of the UKSEDS name and address - Authorised projects may use the UKSEDS name and logo as seen fit by the committee. The central mailing address may also be used; mail for any project will be forwarded to the project manager.

The UKSEDS web site may also be used to present project information and UKSEDS will do its best to publicise any project through the Newsletter, Aurora and any other means that become available.
Reporting to the UKSEDS membership - Monthly project reports should be given by a representative of the project to the UKSEDS committee at committee meetings. From this report and any additional information, the status of the project can be reported in newsletters and Aurorae.
Technical support from UKSEDS - UKSEDS may be in a position to provide techincal support for a particular project either from within its membership or from the growing number of links with external organisations and companies.
Financial support from UKSEDS - It should be noted when starting a project that UKSEDS does not, at the present time, have the means to provide much, or any, financial support for a project.

UKSEDS will support and assist with fundraising activities and will attempt to explore and provide information on possible routes of funding, such as PPARC grants or help from the BNSC (or through them ESA).
Close of a UKSEDS project - A closing report should be submitted at the end of a project, outlining experiences gained in the project.

Any technical data and details such as the management structure of the programme, as well as contact details for the project team should be included - whether or not the project acheived its ultimate goal, communication between the project team and the Committee is vital in improving our project setup.