August 11, 2025
By Dr. Damien Tristant
NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University soared to new heights this summer when a team from the Department of Physical Science participated in NASA’s RockOn workshop at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Dr. Damien Tristant, assistant professor of physics and coordinator of the Physical Science Department, led students Shae Wetzel of Pitkin and Morgan McCrory of Benton through an unforgettable week of hands-on space science, sponsored by the Louisiana Space Grant Consortium (LaSPACE).
The RockOn program offers participants the rare opportunity to assemble and test a scientific payload for a sounding rocket. Over the course of the week, the NSU team gained experience in soldering, basic programming and system troubleshooting while working alongside students from across the country. The week culminated at dawn, when their payload launched aboard a NASA sounding rocket, reaching an altitude of approximately 73 miles before descending into the Atlantic Ocean (watch the launch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MC4Zqvvt54). The payload was successfully recovered, and all systems operated flawlessly.
Beyond the technical achievement, the experience was deeply collaborative and inspiring, students said.
“RockOn showed us that anyone, regardless of background or prior experience, can contribute to cutting-edge science with the right support and curiosity,” Wetzel said.
The RockOn program also placed strong emphasis on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA), creating an environment where students from all backgrounds felt valued and capable.
“It was empowering to see so many different paths leading to STEM,” McCrory said.
Tristant and the team expressed their gratitude to LaSPACE and NSU physicist professor Anna Dugas for making the experience possible.
“From building a payload to watching it launch at sunrise, this was a transformative moment for all of us,” said Tristant. “We’re excited to bring these insights and skills back to NSU and inspire the next generation of scientists.”
The skills gained through RockOn, ranging from soldering techniques to payload integration, will directly benefit NSU’s research and teaching. The team plans to share their knowledge with future students in the classroom and during outreach events such as STEM Day, JOVE Research Day, Nside View and the Literacy Rally. They also hope to take the next step by participating in the more advanced RockSat program.
The Department of Physical Science is part of NSU’s School of STEM and the College of Arts and Sciences. It offers four concentrations in chemistry, physics, biochemistry and forensic laboratory science. Dedicated to fostering a culture of research and discovery, the department invites students from all backgrounds to explore opportunities to work alongside its professors on innovative projects that span classroom learning, laboratory experiments, and field research. For more information, please contact Tristant at tristantd@nsula.edu.
More information on RockOn is available at https://www.nasa.gov/wallops/stem/rock-on/.
