The Rutgers SPICEsat Mission: An Educational Case Study

Rutgers University's first CubeSat mission is called SPICEsat (Sloshing Platform for In-Orbit Controller Experimentation). Many modern spacecraft and launch vehicles rely on large propellant tanks for attitude control and station-keeping maneuvers. When a sizable percentage of the space-craft's mass comprises a liquid propellant, sloshing becomes a critical aspect of spacecraft control. SPICEsat aims to examine the zero-g propellant sloshing problem from an experimental standpoint. The primary mission will study tank fluid dynamics using new methods to understand low-gravity fluid disturbance effects better and improve equivalent mechanical models (EMMs). Active control of the fluid leading to the reduction of propellant slosh settling times will improve the performance of future spacecraft. SPICEsat's secondary mission is to provide student education and outreach opportunities throughout the project lifecycle and release the data to the educational community for further research. In this paper, we will present SPICEsat project goals, educational benefits of the program, lessons learned, and areas of instructional improvement for undergraduate education.