The California Launch Vehicle Education Initiative (CALVEIN), built on the pilot program established between CSULB and GSC in the Spring of 2001, intends to develop and implement an engineering education program addressing the design and manufacturing of low cost launch vehicles. GSC's primary ongoing effort is its partnership with California State University
Long Beach (CSULB) in the California Launch Vehicle Education Initiative
(CALVEIN). Primary objectives of this initiative are to help prepare the next
generation of California-based launch vehicle design engineers, while also
supporting technology and infrastructure development. This initiative first got
started in early 2001 and by June had conducted two static fire tests and the
flight test of the school's Prospector 1 vehicle (also known internally as Kimbo
VI). The next vehicle – the Prospector-2 – underwent an acceptance static fire
test on the same MTA Vertical Test Stand-2 that previously was used for
Microcosm’s AFRL-sponsored Scorpius stage. The same day (Dec. 1, 2001), GSC
also launched its Kimbo-IX-EC vehicle. It was equipped with a CSULB digital
telemetry experiment based on amateur packet radio technology that had been
recommended by Stanford. Two months later, Prospector 2 flew and once again a
successfully recovery was achieved. This vehicle carried a deployable payload
developed by students from Stanford University’s Space Systems Development Lab
(SSDL) – the same group that is playing a leading role in nanosat development.
A partnership between CSULB, Garvey Spacecraft Corporation and the State of California (Technology Trade & Commerce Agency)
In the Spring 2001 semester, Garvey Spacecraft Corporation (GSC) and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) partnered to implement a rocket development activity at CSULB. The result of this partnership was the successful flight and recovery of Prospector 1 (P-1) on June 3, 2001 which included a student developed 1000 lbf thrust engine. This engine was previously static-fired at the Mojave Test Area (MTA).
Vehicle on alignment rails |
Thrust structure with MVA |
Foam composite bulkhead
|
Mated to fs looking aft |
All elements looking forward |
all elements looking aft. |
