A team of College of the Canyons students have begun to work on two individual projects — with the help of two NASA affiliated programs — that have the potential to be launched into Earth’s upper atmosphere.

The COC Payload Program consists of two separate programs, one called the High Altitude Space Program (HASP) and RockSat-X, all run by students.

“This project has given me experience that you can’t learn in the classroom,” said Brandon Gelfand, RockSat-X project manager. “We have built skills that will carry us through our careers.”

The first project is Rocksat-X, which allows students to place a payload on a rocket traveling over 100 miles into space.

HASP allows student-created payloads to be flown on a high altitude balloon for an extended duration. HASP will be testing ways to reduce the number of chemicals in our atmosphere by using a neutralizing agent.

This is the third year in the row the college has participated in the program, according to officials.

“I’ve grown so much as a leader and communicator,” said Patrick Gagnon, project manager for HASP. “These skills are crucial in the real world.”

The payloads carried by HASP are designed and built by students and will be used to flight-test compact satellites or prototypes and to fly other small experiments, according to NASA.

Flights typically last anywhere from six to 25 hours and can achieve an altitude of over 135,000 feet.

The second part of the Payload Program is the RockSat-X project, to develop a re-entry system which aims to develop a re-entry system that uses autorotation to slow vehicles entering the Earth’s atmosphere. 

The COC has one of nine payloads on the NASA rocket and is the only community college working without any outside help from a university.

The project is set to also test the environment and kinetic energy system expels as it leaves the rocket and falls into the atmosphere.

Both teams consist of a wide variety of majors from more STEM-based like engineering and astronomy to business.

“When I go into the field, having knowledge of science will really help,” said Tien Phan, the finance director. “Knowing how to talk with these science-minded individuals will follow me throughout my career.”

The RockSat-X is expected to cost about $35,000 for the project to make it onto the rocket, but the team only has raised about $3,000.

“The school has contributed from innovation funds, like they have done for past projects,” said Teresa Ciardi, club advisor. “We are still short for other costs such as travel.”

Residents wanting to donate to the Payload Program can do so on the COC Foundation website with “HASP and RSX Fund” in direct my donations to line.

Visit the COC Payload Program website for more information about the team.

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