A new educational program: astronautics in high school

In the early nineties the Group of Astrodynamics of University of Roma "La Sapienza" (GAUSS), established the UNISAT program at School of Aerospace Engineering of Roma with the aim to design, manufacture, launch and operate in orbit small educational satellites involving students, researchers and professors in an actual space program. In the framework of this program four satellites have already been launched, respectively in 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2006, from Baykonour Cosmodrome with DNEPR Space Launch System, a launcher based on the intercontinental ballistic missile SS-18, converted to commercial use on the basis of the largest conversion program: the START Treaty. The following step of this program is the design and realization of an educational microsatellite, involving also students from high school. Goal of this mission is involving younger students in a multi-subject project as a space program, to move them to scientific culture promoting a practical, "hands-on" teaching system. In the framework of this project, students of secondary schools will be directly involved in the design and realization of the satellite experimental payload, as well as in the telemetry data reception when satellite will be in orbit. They also will use a small technological demonstrator to understand the complex architecture of a space system and will get lectures about specific space related topics. Copyright IAF/IAA. All rights reserved.