High School / HS-15
Available Grades 9–12 Aerospace Robotics & controls Optics & EO
Point a reaction-wheel turntable using a camera that matches star patterns on a printed star field, close the pointing loop, and measure pointing accuracy and jitter.
Students build a small "satellite" on a ball-bearing turntable: a Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W camera looks up at a printed star field, identifies the stars by their angular-separation pattern, computes the platform's attitude, and turns it with a reaction wheel driven by an ESP32 Feather. They predict the momentum exchange, measure turntable friction, close the pointing loop, push the wheel into saturation, and measure pointing error and jitter against a pixel-level error budget.
This is an indoor model that uses a printed star field. It is not sky-capable and it is not a flight star tracker.
Students will:
Every high school pack includes worked math and physics, prediction-versus-measurement labs, at least two design-and-test iterations, data logging, a rubric, and documentation templates, plus printable Builder's Corner build journal pages.
Parts, specs, quantities, and estimated unit costs, with places to buy. Prices change; anything marked as an estimate is an estimate. Links were checked when the BOM was written.
Totals are computed from the line items below. Prices were read from vendor pages on the dates shown and will change. Rows tagged estimate have no verified link and are planning numbers only.
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 | Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Runs star_tracker.py run (camera, star ID, outer loop); Wi-Fi/SSH only, NO USB cable is ever plugged into the Pi (see parts-list power notes) | 1 | $19.00 | $19.00 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $19.00 · checked 2026-10-13 · Not confirmed on page (Adafruit PID 5291 $19.05 Out of stock, re-read 2026-10-13; PiShop.us $17.25 Out of stock 2026-10-13). ORDER ≥ 3 WEEKS AHEAD | Alternative: Raspberry Pi 3A+ (Adafruit PID 4027 $25.00, Out of stock 2026-10-13; SparkFun $27.50, stock not confirmed, 2026-10-13). Same code; re-check the 5 V budget (≈ 1.2 A peak, still within the 3.2 A D36V28F5); it takes the Camera 3's own 15-pin cable (C3 not needed) and a larger deck footprint (mark through) | — |
| C2 | Raspberry Pi Camera Module 3, standard lens Adafruit PID 5657 · IMX708, 4.74 mm lens, autofocus (set to manual LensPosition = 1/h); used at 1152 × 648 | 1 | $29.25 | $29.25 | adafruit.com Adafruit $29.25 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | Camera Module v2 (fixed focus; set f_px from Lab 2) | Ribbon connectors are fragile: power off before reseating |
| C3 | Pi Zero camera cable (22-pin to 15-pin) Adafruit PID 3157 · the Camera 3's own cable does not fit the Zero | 1 | $5.95 | $5.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $5.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | — |
| C4 | 2 × 20 header for the Pi Zero Adafruit PID 2222 (female; solder a male 2 × 20 strip or buy the Zero 2 WH) | 1 | $1.50 | $1.50 | adafruit.com Adafruit $1.50 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | Solder wires straight to pins 4, 6, 8, 10 | Soldering: adult supervision, Z87+ glasses |
| C5 | microSD card 16–32 GB, A1 Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64-bit) + python3-picamera2, python3-scipy, python3-serial | 1 | $8.00 estimate | $8.00 | Retail (no link) — | School stock | — |
| Subtotal | $63.70 | Low-cost path: $55.70 | |||||
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E1 | ESP32 Feather V2 (wheel controller) Adafruit PID 5400 · 200 Hz wheel loop, fail-safes | 1 | $19.95 | $19.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $19.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | Header soldering: adult supervision, Z87+ glasses |
| E2 | LSM6DSOX 6-DoF IMU (yaw-rate gyro) Adafruit PID 4438 · STEMMA QT, I²C 0x6A; ±250 dps | 1 | $11.95 | $11.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $11.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | — |
| E3 | STEMMA QT cable 100 mm Adafruit PID 4210 | 1 | $0.95 | $0.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $0.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | — |
| E4 | TB6612 motor driver breakout Adafruit PID 2448 · channel A only; 1.2 A average per channel; firmware limits to 1.0 A | 1 | $6.95 | $6.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $6.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | — |
| E5 | 30:1 micro metal gearmotor HPCB 6 V, extended motor shaft Pololu #3072 · 1100 rpm free, 1.5 A stall at 6 V (page); wheel limit 600 rpm (800 hard cap) | 1 | $27.45 | $27.45 | pololu.com Pololu $27.45 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | — |
| E6 | Magnetic encoder pair kit 12 CPR Pololu #3081 · one encoder used, one spare | 1 | $9.95 | $9.95 | pololu.com Pololu $9.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | Fine soldering: adult supervision |
| E7 | Micro metal gearmotor bracket pair Pololu #989 · motor vertical, shaft up | 1 | $2.95 | $2.95 | pololu.com Pololu $2.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | — |
| E8 | Universal aluminum mounting hub, 3 mm shaft (2-pack) Pololu #1079 · #2-56 holes; clamps the wheel discs to the D shaft | 1 | $9.95 | $9.95 | pololu.com Pololu $9.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | — |
| E9 | 5 V 3.2 A step-down regulator D36V28F5 Pololu #3782 · feeds the Pi 5 V pins directly and the Feather through E10 | 1 | $23.95 | $23.95 | pololu.com Pololu $23.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | Pololu D24V22F5 #2858 ($18.95, Out of stock 2026-10-13) | — |
| E10 | Schottky diode 1N5819 SparkFun COM-10926 · regulator → Feather USB pin, band toward the Feather (no back-feed from the laptop when the Feather is plugged in) | 1 | $0.30 | $0.30 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $0.30 (single; $0.29/$0.27 volume) · checked 2026-10-13 · Not confirmed on page | 1N5817 | — |
| E11 | 6 × AA battery holder with 2.1 mm plug Adafruit PID 248 | 1 | $2.50 | $2.50 | adafruit.com Adafruit $2.50 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | — |
| E12 | In-line power switch, 2.1 mm Adafruit PID 1125 · main switch (cuts motor, Pi and Feather power) | 1 | $2.50 | $2.50 | adafruit.com Adafruit $2.50 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | — |
| E13 | 2.1 mm jack to screw terminal Adafruit PID 368 | 1 | $2.00 | $2.00 | adafruit.com Adafruit $2.00 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | — | — |
| E14 | AA NiMH cells (6 + 2 spare) 7.2 V nominal pack; ≈ 1 A peak (motor + Pi) | 1 | $18.00 estimate | $18.00 | Retail (no link) — | 6 × alkaline AA (≈ 9 V fresh: 6 V motor cap and the regulator still protect; shorter run) | Charge only in the matching NiMH charger |
| E15 | Electrolytic capacitor 1000 µF 25 V SparkFun COM-08982 · across TB6612 VM–GND | 1 | $0.50 | $0.50 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $0.50 (single; $0.48/$0.45 volume) · checked 2026-10-13 · Not confirmed on page | 470–2200 µF ≥ 16 V | Observe polarity |
| E16 | Resistors 33 kΩ + 10 kΩ (battery divider) + 2 × 10 kΩ (STBY and PWMA pull-downs) Any 1/4 W; the pull-downs hold the TB6612 off during reset/boot | 1 | $0.50 estimate | $0.50 | School stock (no link) — | — | — |
| E17 | Hook-up wire 22 AWG solid (6 × 25 ft) Adafruit PID 1311 | 1 | $15.95 | $15.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $15.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | Classroom stock | — |
| E18 | USB-A to USB-C cable (Feather upload) Adafruit PID 4474 | 1 | $4.95 | $4.95 | adafruit.com Adafruit $4.95 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | Classroom cable | — |
| E19 | Fuse 3 A fast-acting ATM (MINI) blade Littelfuse 0297003.WXNV · at the battery + lead, before the switch (a shorted NiMH pack can deliver 20–30 A; expected peak load ≈ 2 A) | 1 | $0.46 | $0.46 | macdonaldindustrial.com MacDonald Industrial Supply $0.46 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock (80 shown) | Any 3 A fast-acting ATM/MINI blade fuse (buy 2 + spares) | Fit with the battery disconnected |
| E20 | Inline ATM (MINI) blade fuse holder with wire leads Littelfuse 0FHM0001ZXJ (current version of 0FHM0001Z, listed as obsolete) or any inline MINI/ATM holder · fitted at the battery pack lead | 1 | $5.00 estimate | $5.00 | Electronics distributor / auto-parts store (no link) — | Any inline ATM/MINI holder, 18–14 AWG | Fit with the battery disconnected |
| Subtotal | $166.71 | Low-cost path: $143.31 | |||||
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 | 6 in. square lazy-susan ball-bearing turntable McFeely's · the platform bearing (its friction is measured in Lab 1) | 1 | $5.38 | $5.38 | mcfeelys.com McFeely's $5.38 · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock | Any 6 in. steel lazy-susan bearing; upgrade: two 608 bearings on an M8 bolt (lower friction) | — |
| S2 | Baltic birch plywood 3 mm, 12 × 20 in Wood Vault, 1/8" Laser/CNC grade variant; 3 sheets (decks, guard rings + wheel discs, base + guard top) | 3 | $3.50 | $10.50 | woodvault.com The Wood Vault $3.50 per sheet (1/8" Laser/CNC grade variant, Shopify product JSON) · checked 2026-10-13 · Not confirmed (page returned 429; variant availability not in the JSON) | Any 3 mm laser plywood | — |
| S3 | Hardware: 4 × M5 × 150 mm rods or threaded rod + 16 nuts; 8 × M5 × 10 screws + nuts + 16 washers (wheel rim masses); 4 × M3 × 30 + nuts (guard); #2-56 screws for the hub; M2 screws for camera and brackets Rim masses set I_w (first-principles 2); Lab 1 weighs them | 1 | $12.00 estimate | $12.00 | Hardware store (no link) — | — | — |
| S4 | Star-field print: 35 Letter sheets (or one 1.22 m square print-shop poster) + tape cutfiles/starfield-*.svg at 100%; dots 8–14 mm | 1 | $6.00 estimate | $6.00 | School printer / print shop (no link) — | School printer | Ceiling mounting: an adult on a stepladder with a spotter |
| S5 | Laser cutter access or cutting service 3 sheets (estimate) | 1 | $15.00 estimate | $15.00 | Makerspace / cut service (no link) — | — | Trained adult operates the laser cutter |
| S6 | Thread + small washers (Lab 5 disturbance-torque pulley) 1–5 g hanging mass over a pencil pulley | 1 | $1.00 estimate | $1.00 | School stock (no link) — | — | — |
| Subtotal | $49.88 | Low-cost path: $41.88 | |||||
| ID | Part & spec | Qty | Unit (typical) | Line (typical) | Where to buy | Cheaper substitute | Adult handling / safety gear |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Temperature-controlled soldering iron Pinecil | 1 | $68.50 | $68.50 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $68.50 · checked 2026-10-13 · Not confirmed on page | Assumed owned in the low total | Adult supervision |
| T2 | Lead-free solder 15 g SparkFun | 1 | $4.95 | $4.95 | sparkfun.com SparkFun $4.95 (single-unit price) · checked 2026-10-13 · Not confirmed on page | — | Wash hands after soldering |
| T3 | Safety glasses, ANSI Z87.1 Z87+ (high-impact) (soldering, cutting, wheel testing) 3M SecureFit SF201AF · clear anti-fog polycarbonate lens marked Z87+ (ANSI Z87.1 impact-rated; 3M spec table on strobelssupply.com and safetycompany.com, read 2026-10-09) | 2 | $5.32 | $10.64 | platt.com Platt Electric Supply $5.32 EA · checked 2026-10-13 · In stock (schema InStock, re-read 2026-10-13) | Any glasses marked Z87+ (ANSI Z87.1 high-impact). Not SparkFun SWG-11046: it lists only CE/EN 1836, a sunglass standard, not impact-rated | — |
| T4 | NiMH smart charger (AA) Matched to NiMH; non-flammable surface | 1 | $20.00 estimate | $20.00 | Retail (no link) — | Assumed owned | Adult supervises charging |
| T5 | Digital multimeter Polarity, 5 V rail, divider and Schottky checks | 1 | $20.00 estimate | $20.00 | Retail (no link) — | Assumed owned | — |
| T6 | Laptop with Arduino IDE, Python 3 + numpy + scipy, SSH client Feather upload; SSH to the Pi over Wi-Fi | 1 | $0.00 estimate | $0.00 | School (no link) — | — | — |
| Subtotal | $124.09 | Low-cost path: $15.59 | |||||
The pack is digital files only. Hardware is bought separately.
These are standards the pack's activities are mapped to by Laue Labs. They are not a certification or endorsement by any standards body or state.
| Activity | NGSS (HS) | Practices / crosscutting | Common Core Math |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lab 1 momentum exchange, friction | HS-PS2-2 (momentum conserved when no net external force), HS-PS2-1 | Planning and carrying out investigations; Energy and matter | HSA-CED.A.4, HSS-ID.B.6 (linear fit) |
| Lab 2 camera model, star ID | HS-ETS1-2 | Using mathematics and computational thinking; Patterns | HSG-SRT.C.8 (trig), HSN-VM (vectors, enrichment) |
| Lab 3 pointing loop | HS-ETS1-3 (trade-offs), HS-ETS1-4 (simulation) | Systems and system models; Stability and change | HSF-IF.C.7 |
| Lab 4 accuracy and jitter | HS-ETS1-3 | Analyzing and interpreting data | HSS-ID.A.4 (spread, RMS) |
| Lab 5 saturation | HS-PS2-2, HS-ESS1-4 (orbits, enrichment) | Constructing explanations | HSA-REI.B.3 |
Mapping is a draft for teacher review.
One student or one household.
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One homeschool family, or one co-op group of up to 10 learners with its facilitator(s).
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One teacher with up to 30 students in a single class or cohort.
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All licenses: digital files only (hardware not included). Keep Laue Labs attribution on printed handouts. After checkout you get an instant download on the thanks page. License questions, more learners, or site licenses: lance.haney@gmail.com.
