A Collaborative Edge-of-Space Mission to Reconnect Our Lost Year

Mission : Reconnect 2020

Earth background : NASA

We lost 2020 to COVID.

The world entered lockdown, halting all international or local interactions.

Isolation severely affected:

International research collaboration
University training
Elementary and secondary school communities

“Mission: Reconnect 2020” is a cross-border, cross-discipline, cross-skyline collaborative project, symbolizing our resolve to restart the globe. And simultaneously, to embolden the visions of Malaysia and Taiwan’s young generation.

The mission is:

An edu-exploration flight to the edge-of-space led by ASARe Lab and AeroTech Lab of National YangMing-ChiaoTung University (NYCU) with University Sains Malaysia (USM).
This flight is a journey of “hope” encompassing research instruments, collegiate engineering product and elementary/secondary school work.
A joint mission of Taiwan, Malaysia, the U.S. and more.

Two balloon capsule flights with research and student payloads to 25,000m.

Feb-June 2021: Engineering and payload preparation.

May 2021: Elementary/secondary school space-camp outreach.

Aug 2021: Launch date (with Dec 2021 back-up).

Capsule and team travel to Malaysia for integration.
Launches and livestreams.
Interactions and workshops with local teams.

Aug-Sept 2021: Recovery and analysis.

Sept 2021: Presser and memorabilia mail-out to sponsors and participants.

Oct-Dec 2021: Research data analysis and project debrief.

OUR

INTERNATIONAL

TEAM

Dr. Tan Zu Puayen

Asst. Prof. NYCU

Founder of “Boleh Rockets” and consultant to Equatorial Space Systems (Singapore).

Launched: Malaysia’s largest rocket + SE Asia’s first privately-developed hybrid rocket.

Featured in Nanyang, Sin Chew, SpaceTechAsia and other news.

Dr. Lua Kim-Boon

Assoc. Prof. NYCU

Leads award-winning Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle teams at NYCU.

Winner of green energy competitions.

Dr. Norilmi Amilia Ismail

Sr. Lecturer USM

Successful HAB launches.

Cubesat and space expertise. Renowned in Asian space community.

Founder and president of Malaysia Space Initiatives (MiSI) NGO. Founder of SpaceIn startup.

Research

NYCU ASARe: Development of lightweight, flight-ready 3D camera systems. ASARe core-tech. Results empower aerospace and medical research.

NYCU ASARe + U.S. Auburn University + Texas A&M (tentative): Study of parachute dynamics for future Mars and human space missions.

NYCU: Validation of long-distance comm tech for rocket, drone and other uses.

USM: Validation of new sensors. (tentative)

Tentative

MISSION

Participants

College

Student engineering teams at NYCU: Development of balloon capsule and payload system.

Student High Altitude Balloon (HAB) Team at USM: Space Systems Lab, women in engineering, student-led space start-up.

Joint NYCU-USM HAB workshop under UNISEC Malaysia's framework.

Socio-Edu

Hero's Journey elementary school workshop with Acton Academy Malaysia.

Tentative collaboration with Malaysian and Taiwanese STEM teams.

Engagement with NYCU outreach office.

Student works on a journey to the edge of space.

Flying Aug 2021

JOIN THE JOURNEY

Inviting sponsors and participants on this symbolic mission to reverse COVID-19's year of isolation.

Donation link: https://my.nctu.edu.tw/contents/project_ct?page=6&p_id=23

Tax-deductible in Taiwan.

Contact: Tan Zu | tanzu@nctu.edu.tw

for logo featuring, donation receipts and queries.

JOURNEY SUPPORTERS (so far)

INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS (so far)

侯文成盧姵君江玉娟林玲慧張愉珠李景修蔡尚霖林小鳳沈建成黃柔蕙鄭芳齡李珮雯邱心唯徐敏芳蔡皆得張哲豪陳瑾怡鄭登凱陳玫君

(ordered chronologically in system)

ON-GOING JOURNEY

Stories of people we meet and things we achieve along this unfolding adventure.

July-August 2021

LAUNCH WINDOW

Feb, 2021

Project Initiated!!!

May, 2021

Testing of Research Cameras

Reconnect 2020's capsule will carry miniature research cameras to characterize the fluid and structural dynamics of the balloon envelop and parachute at high altitude, contributing to a critical field in modern aerospace science.

Mar 5, 2021

UNISEC Malaysia's NYCU-USM High Altitude Balloon Workshop

Joint workshop on the basics of high altitude balloon design and operation. Conducted by USM's Dr. Norilmi.

Mar 26, 2021

Rockets and The Hero's Journey Workshop with Malaysia's Acton Academy

A fun sharing session with Acton Academy's elementary students ("Eagles") on space, rockets, and the power of setting of on your own life adventure.

Conducted by Prof. Tan, at the invitation of Acton KL founder Dr. Ewe.

Apr 13, 2021

Finalization of Capsule Structural Design

9U volume in 2x2x2 + 1 dual-layer configuration.

Carbon-fiber + metallic struts for max flexibility, strength and min weight.

Apr 29, 2021

Fund-Raising Experience-Sharing Session

A cross between "Leishan Heroes" x "Aerospace Heroes":

I am immensely grateful to be given this opp to share the vision of [Team Reconnect 2020] and to resonate our belief in the Hero's Journey as a timeless template for growth.