Students from Koonibba Aboriginal School collaborate with Southern Launch
Three students from Koonibba Aboriginal School travelled to Adelaide to learn more about the space industry with the team from Southern Launch. The visit to Adelaide was to collaborate on a workshop that the students will host and present to over 900 Aboriginal learners at the upcoming 2023 STEM Aboriginal Learner Congress.
Nickylah, Sara, Ekailee, Miranda and Mark from Koonibba Aboriginal School in the Southern Launch Mission Control
Koonibba Aboriginal School principal Mark Prince said, ‘The visit to Southern Launch was a key part of our students developing their workshop for the STEM Aboriginal Learner Congress. We are incredibly grateful to work with the experts at Southern Launch to develop this exciting workshop. It connects concepts from the classroom with the space industry that is happening in our backyard at Koonibba.’
The students spent the morning with rocket scientists and engineers at Southern Launch headquarters to design prototype ‘stomp’ rockets. The students each partnered with an engineer to work collaboratively to determine the best fin and nose cone structures to ensure an optimal flight trajectory.
The visit was a great morning for everyone involved. Amy Featherston, Communications and Engagement Manager at Southern Launch said, ‘Inspiring the next generation to learn more about STEM and space is a key focus for us at Southern Launch. We have a strong partnership with the Koonibba Community Aboriginal Corporation and working with local students is always a highlight and priority for the team.’
Students also got a behind-the-scenes tour of the Southern Launch headquarters and learnt about the different roles required on launch day. A tour of the office also gave the students an insight into the varied roles available in the space industry and how Koonibba community members support each launch at the Koonibba Test Range.
