SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ZiLOG(R), Inc. , a leading provider of integrated 8-bit microcontroller (MCU) solutions, today announced its continued support for, and sponsorship of, the ARLISS (A Rocket Launch for International Student Satellites) Project, a collaborative effort between students and faculty members at Stanford University's Space Systems Development Program, other educational institutions from around the world, and high power rocketry enthusiasts in Northern California. The aim of the ARLISS Project is to build, launch, test and recover prototype miniaturized satellites in preparation for an Earth-orbit or Mars-orbit space launch.
ZiLOG's sponsorship again involves donating prize money for the ARLISS "Comeback" event for rocket enthusiasts, which takes place this year on September 21 and 22 at Black Rock Playa, a dry lake bed 100 miles North of Reno, Nevada. During the event, students from the US and Japan will provide electronic gadgets to put in amateur high-power rockets launched by members of Aeropac -- the Northern California high power rocket club. These rockets take the various gadgets up to an altitude of about two miles where they are ejected and return to earth on a small parachute. During the parachute descent, these gadgets perform various functions such as taking pictures and measuring temperatures and vibrations, for which the data is sent down by radio to receivers on the ground.
The challenge this year is to develop a gadget that could be launched by these rockets in a carrier that is 6 inches in diameter by 10 inches long that would autonomously return to the launch site, landing in a 30-meter diameter circle near the launch site. A prize has been offered to the winner for the last three years. To date, no one has succeeded. The prize money this year is $US 6,000. ZiLOG is donating half of this amount, with the remainder coming equally from Stanford University and the University of Tokyo. Twelve teams comprising more than 50 students are taking part in this year's event.
"The ARLISS Comeback competition at the Black Rock is really a unique experience for the students involved," commented Professor Bob Twiggs, Director of the Space Systems Development Laboratory at Stanford University's Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics and co-founder of the ARLISS project. "Each year, the gadgets sent up in the rockets have become more complex. The ARLISS Project challenges innovative students to get hands-on experience in the life cycle (one year or less) of a space project. Each team will design and build one or more satellites, and travel to the launch site in Black Rock to supervise preparation, launch, telemetry download and safe recovery of their experiments and data. ZiLOG's ongoing involvement is great for the project and a logical progression, as we are using the Z8 Encore!(R) microcontroller boards and the development kit in our graduate engineering courses for spacecraft development."
Commenting on the growth and success of the ARLISS Project since it was started in 1999, co-founder Tom Rouse said: "When we started the ARLISS program, we never imagined it would turn out to be such a success. We now have universities from around the world competing and attending the annual launch. The ARLISS program is a first step for these graduate students to build real satellites and refine their skills prior to sending a real satellite into space. We have seen some notable successes as well. For example, two years ago, a team from Japan built a satellite and sent it into orbit after participating in the ARLISS project. The things they learned made their project a success, as their satellite worked perfectly!"
Further information
1. To find out more about ZiLOG's products, log onto http://www.zilog.com/
2. For further information on XPRS events, log onto http://www.xprs.org/
3. The Northern California High Power Rocket Club can be found online at
http://www.aeropac.org/
4. More information about Steve Pope's projects can be found at
http://www.geekfreaks.com/
5. Information on ARLISS can be found at http://www.arliss.org/
About ZiLOG, Inc.
ZiLOG, Inc., founded in 1974, won international acclaim for designing one of the first architectures in the microprocessors and microcontrollers industry. Today, ZiLOG is a leading global supplier of 8-bit micro-logic devices. ZiLOG designs and markets a broad portfolio of devices for embedded control and communication applications used in consumer electronics, home appliances, security systems, point of sales terminals, personal computer peripherals, as well as industrial and automotive applications. ZiLOG is headquartered in San Jose, California, and employs approximately 500 people worldwide with sales offices and design centers throughout Asia, Europe and North America. For more information about ZiLOG and its products, visit the Company's website at: http://www.zilog.com/.
NOTE: ZiLOG and Z8 Encore! XP are trademarks or registered trademarks of ZiLOG, Inc. in the United States and in other countries. Other product and or service names mentioned herein may be trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.
