2007-08 Downloads:
            Critical Design Review
            Flight Readiness Review
            Flight Readiness Review slideshow
            Harding 2007-8 Final Report

      Welcome to the web page of the University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) team at Harding University. USLI is an educational program administered by the Office of Education at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. USLI sponsors students in the designing, building, and testing of reusable rockets with scientific payloads. The Harding University "Flying Bison" team competed in the inaugral 2006-07 USLI competition, and is currently competing in the 2007-08 competition.

2006-07 Flying Bison. L to R: Pablo Oropin, Stephen Wagner, Aaron Howell, Sarah Christensen,
James Mackey, Erin Fulks, Ed Wilson, Megan Bush, Paul Elliott, Brett Keller. Dan Sewell not pictured.

      The 2006-07 Harding team, the "Flying Bison," is pictured above with the rocket they designed and built, after its first flight. The rocket (also known as the Flying Bison) was 4" in diameter and approximately 10' long, and can be flown on a wide range of commercially available 54mm solid and hybrid rocket motors. The construction process and flights are documented in the Pictures section, while video of the static testing activities and competition flight are available on the Video page. The Flying Bison received media coverage in the home towns of several members. Also, the official review documents submitted to NASA for the competition are available in the Documents section.

      The objective for the 06-07 and 07-08 competitions was to fly a rocket to an altitude of one mile (5280 feet) carrying an original scientific experiment and recover the vehicle safely. Student teams from around the country are expected to design the rockets and payloads, test various components, document the systems engineering process thoroughly, and pass a rigorous review process by NASA engineers.