Systems Engineering Paper

 

Each team must submit a Systems Engineering Paper electronically in PDF format to Susan Sawyer @ Susan.G.Sawyer@nasa.gov by April 15, 2010. Cover page must include: team name; title of paper; full names of all team members; university name; and faculty advisor’s full name.  Appendices are not included in the page limitation and the judges are not obligated to consider lengthy appendices in the evaluation process.  A minimum score of 15 out of 20 possible points must be achieved to qualify to win in this category.  In the case of a tie in the score, the judges will choose the winning Systems Engineering Paper.  The judges’ decision is final.  The team with the winning Systems Engineering Paper will receive a team plaque, individual certificates, $500, and the paper will be featured at the Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition Awards Ceremony on May 28, 2010.

 

 

Systems Engineering Paper Scoring Rubric
Elements	4	3	2	1
Content:  Cover Page Introduction Purpose Body of Paper Sources	All five elements are clearly demonstrated.	Four elements are clearly demonstrated.	Three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two or less elements are clearly demonstrated.
Intrinsic Merit (Quality and Feasibility): Deliverables identified Budget Schedule Major Reviews:  SRR, PDR, & CDR	All four elements are clearly demonstrated.	Three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One or less elements are clearly demonstrated.
Technical Merit: Requirements definition Requirement flow-down to validation & checkout Tradeoff assessment Risk assessment Interfaces defined	All five elements are clearly demonstrated.	Four elements are clearly demonstrated.	Three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two or less elements are clearly demonstrated.
Illustrations: Relevant Supports the technical content Uses graphs effectively Uses tables effectively	All four elements are clearly demonstrated.	Three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One or less elements is clearly demonstrated.
Formatting & Appearance:  Clearly organized Correct grammar & spelling 10 – 15 pages; 12 font size; single spaced (Cover page, references and appendices excluded in page limit) Sources referenced	All four elements are clearly demonstrated.	Three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One or less elements is clearly demonstrated.

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Lunar Regolith Excavator Outreach Project

All teams must participate in an educational outreach project.  Outreach examples include actively participating in school career days, science fairs, technology fairs, extracurricular science or robotic clubs, or setting up exhibits in local science museums or a local library. Other ideas include organizing a program with a Boys and Girls Club, Girl Scouts, local library, museum, etc… Teams are encouraged to have fun with the outreach project and share knowledge of science, robotics, and engineering with the local community.

 

Each team must submit a report of the Outreach Project electronically in PDF format to Susan Sawyer @ Susan.G.Sawyer@nasa.gov by April 15, 2010. Cover page must include: team name; title of paper; full names of all team members; university name; and faculty advisor’s full name.  A minimum score of 15 out of 20 possible points must be achieved to qualify to win in this category.  In the case of a tie in the score, the judges will choose the winning outreach project.  The judges’ decision is final.  The team with the winning Outreach project will receive a team plaque, individual certificates, $500, and the project will be featured at the Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition Awards Ceremony on May 28, 2010.

 

Outreach Project Scoring Rubric
Elements	4	3	2	1
Content:  Introduction Outreach Recipient Group Identified Purpose Cover Page	All four elements are clearly demonstrated.	Three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One element is clearly demonstrated.
Educational Outreach:  Inspires K-12 students to learn about robotics, engineering, or lunar activities Engages K-12 students in robotics, engineering, or lunar activities Offers hands-on activities to K-12 students	All three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One element is clearly demonstrated.	No elements are clearly demonstrated.
Creativity:> Inspirational Engaging Material corresponds to students’ grade level	All three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One element is clearly demonstrated.	No elements are clearly demonstrated.
Illustrations & Media: Appropriate Shows the Outreach Project Pictures	All three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One element is clearly demonstrated.	No elements are clearly demonstrated.
Formatting & Appearance:  Correct grammar & spelling 5 page limit (Cover page and appendices excluded in page count.) Clearly organized	All three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One element is clearly demonstrated.	No elements are clearly demonstrated.

 

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Lunar Regolith Excavator Slide Presentation

 

Must be submitted electronically by April 15, 2010 in PDF format to:
Susan Sawyer @ Susan.G.Sawyer@nasa.gov

The Lunar Regolith Excavator Slide Presentation is an optional category in the overall competition.  A cover slide must contain the team name; title of presentation; full names of all team members; university name; and faculty advisor’s full name.  A minimum score of 15 out of 20 possible points must be achieved to qualify to win in this category.  In the case of a tie in the score, the judges will choose the winning presentation.  The judges’ decision is final.  The team with the winning presentation will receive a team plaque, individual certificates, $500, and will present presentation at the Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition Awards Ceremony on May 28, 2010.

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Lunar Regolith Excavator Team Spirit Competition

The Lunar Regolith Excavator Team Spirit Competition is an optional category in the overall competition.  A minimum score of 10 out of 15 possible points must be achieved to qualify to win in this category.  In the case of a tie in the score, the judges will choose the winning team.  The judges’ decision is final.  The team winning the Team Spirit Award at the Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition will receive a team plaque, individual certificates, $500, and will be featured at the Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition Awards Ceremony on May 28, 2010.

 

Team Spirit Competition Scoring Rubric
Elements	3	2	1
Teamwork:  Exhibits teamwork in and out of the sandbox Exhibits a strong sense of collaboration within the team Supports other teams with a healthy sense of competition	All three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One element is clearly demonstrated.
Attitude:  Exudes a positive attitude Demonstrates an infectious energy Motivates and encourages team	All three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One element is clearly demonstrated.
Creativity: Demonstrates creativity Wears distinctive team shirts or hats Gives out objects of fun such as pins, noise makers, etc.	All three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One element is clearly demonstrated.
Engage:  Engages audience in team spirit activities Engages other teams in team spirit activities Makes acquaintances with members of other teams	All three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One element is clearly demonstrated.
Originality: Demonstrates originality in team activities Displays originality in the team name Displays originality in the team logo	All three elements are clearly demonstrated.	Two elements are clearly demonstrated.	One element is clearly demonstrated.

 

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Collaboration between a majority school with a designated minority serving institution: 

The collaboration between a majority school and a designated minority serving institution must be indicated on the team roster by March 30, 2010 to receive 10 extra points.

Video for Lunar Regolith Competition Documentary:

Submission of digital video of the team’s lunar regolith excavator design and build process is highly encouraged and may be brought to the competition on a DVD to receive 5 extra points.  The actual competition will be recorded by NASA.  A NASA documentary will be developed after the competition. 

Multidisciplinary Engineering Teams:

Each different engineering discipline represented will count for 1 bonus point up to a maximum of 10.  Disciplines will be indicated on the team roster by March 30, 2010.  No bonus points will be given in this category if a team has only one discipline represented.

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The team with the most cumulative points will win the Joe Kosmo Award for Excellence.  The winner will receive a school trophy and plaque, individual certificates, KSC VIP launch tickets, and up to $1,500 travel expenses for each team member and one faculty advisor to participate with NASA Desert RATS.

What is the NASA Desert RATS?

The Desert RATS is a NASA-led team of research partners working together to prepare for human-robotic exploration. This "working group," led by NASA personnel, is comprised of both NASA and non-NASA Members.

The Desert RATS field test activity is the culmination of the various individual science and advanced engineering discipline areas year-long technology and operations development efforts into a coordinated field test demonstration under representative (analog) planetary surface terrain conditions. The purpose of the RATS effort is to drive out preliminary exploration operational concepts for EVA system requirements by providing hands-on experience with simulated planetary surface exploration extravehicular activity (EVA) hardware and procedures.

The RATS activities also are of significant importance in helping to develop the necessary levels of technical skills and experience for the next generation of engineers, scientists, technicians, and astronauts who will be responsible for realizing the goals of the Constellation Program.

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Lunar Regolith Excavator Senior Design Course Curriculum:

The Lunar Regolith Excavator Senior Design Course Curriculum has been developed by Dr. David Beale, Auburn University for NASA and is available at:  http://education.ksc.nasa.gov/esmdspacegrant/LunarRegolithExcavator.htm.  This curriculum has a whole section devoted to systems engineering.

 

Excavator Design, Build, & Compete Project Funds:

A university faculty advisor or student team may propose for up to $5,000 to support a student team to design and build a lunar regolith excavator and for travel expenses to compete in the Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition at Kennedy Space Center the week of May 25-28, 2010.   

 

Team proposals must adequately address the following areas:

• team roster including students’ names and e-mail addresses (if known);
• faculty advisor’s name and e-mail address; college or university;
• plan and commitment to use a systems engineering approach to design, build, and verify a lunar regolith excavator;
• outreach plan;
• budget request and plan;
• schedule for completion of the excavator in time for competition;
• collaboration with minority universities plan (optional, but encouraged);
• plan for multidisciplinary engineering team (optional, but encouraged);
• plan for recording video of the project (optional, but encouraged); and
• commitment to compete in the Lunar Regolith Excavator Student Competition at Kennedy Space Center during the week of May 25-28, 2010.

 

Approved proposals will be funded on a first come/first serve basis by NASA through the National Space Grant Foundation.  $50,000 has been set aside for this purpose.  Proposals will be accepted electronically between August 1, 2009 and March 30, 2010 to: 

 Susan Sawyer
E-mail: Susan.G.Sawyer@nasa.gov

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Is currently being created, it will be posted as soon as it is complete.

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Competition POCs:
Susan Sawyer  ReDe/Critique JV KSC Education Office ESMD Space Grant Project Specialist Voice: (321) 867-5482 E-mail:Susan.G.Sawyer@nasa.gov	Mandi Falconer ReDe/Critique JV KSC Education Office ESMD Space Grant Project Specialist Voice:  (321) 867-4439 E-mail: Mandi.C.Falconer@nasa.gov