Drucella Andersen

Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

August 20, 1991
(Phone: 202/453-8613)

Sue Baker
USAF Aeronautical Systems Division
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
(Phone: 513/255-2725)

RELEASE: 91-134

NASP PROGRAM SPONSORS MOCKUP COMPETITION

The nation's undergraduate engineering schools will compete this

fall for the
opportunity to design and build a mockup of the X-30 National Aero-Space
Plane
(NASP).

The NASP Joint Program Office, composed of NASA and Department of

Defense
officials, is sponsoring the competition to stimulate student interest in
aerospace
science and to provide an engineering education project tied to a
"cutting-edge"
technology program.

In a message to engineering faculties at colleges and universities

around
the country, Program Director Dr. Robert Barthelemy said that "NASP is a
particularly
exciting undertaking because of the technology challenges involved in
developing a
hypersonic space plane with airbreathing propulsion. We're pleased to
provide an
educational opportunity for today's engineers-in-training who may well
find themselves
using the new technologies developed for NASP during their professional
careers."

U.S. colleges with 4-year accredited engineering programs may

compete
for the $125,000 award. The competition will be coordinated by the
Virginia Space
Grant Consortium, Hampton, Va.

Undergraduate engineering students at the winning school will design

and
build a scale mockup of the X-30 approximately 50 feet long. The
student-managed
project will provide a practical engineering exercise involving a broad
range of
design parameters and firm deadlines. Students will have access to NASP
advisors
during mockup development and will gain experience in the teamwork
necessary to
complete a large engineering design project. The effort will also raise
student
awareness of the technological challenges inherent in designing and
building an
aerospace plane.
-more-

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The mockup will be exhibited at major aerospace shows and

exhibitions
throughout the United States.

The X-30 will be a sleek flight research vehicle that takes off like
an
airplane, accelerates into orbit around Earth then returns through the
atmosphere for a
runway landing. The X-30 could unlock the possibilities for future
aerospace
vehicles that would provide routine access to Earth orbit or fly from
point to point on the
globe in 3 hours or less.

The Virginia Space Grant Consortium is a coalition of five Virginia

colleges and universities, NASA , state educational agencies, museums,
private
industry associations and other institutions with diverse educational and
aerospace
interests. The Consortium will mail application packages to engineering
deans
throughout the United States. The application deadline is October 15.

Final selection of the winning school will be made by a panel of

experts
working in conjunction with the NASP Joint Program Office. For more
information on
participating in the competition, contact the consortium at 804/865-0726.

-end-