1. Abstract The Student Nitric Oxide Explorer (SNOE) is a small scientific spacecraft designed for launch on a Pegasus™ XL launch vehicle for the USRA Student Explorer Demonstration Initiative. Its scientific goals are to measure nitric oxide density in the lower thermosphere and analyze the energy inputs to that region from the sun and magnetosphere that create it and cause its abundance to vary dramatically. These inputs are energetic solar photons in the EUV and X -ray spectral regions, and energetic electrons that are accelerated into the polar regions, where they cause auroral disturbances and displays. Both of these phenomena are aspects of solar variability; thermospheric nitric oxide responds to that variability and in tum determines key temperature and compositional aspects of the thermosphere and ionosphere through its radiative and chemical properties.The SNOE ("snowy") spacecraft and its instrument complement is being designed, built, and operated entirely at the University of Colorado, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (CUILASP). The spacecraft is a compact hexagonal structure, 37" high and 39" across its widest dimension, weighing approximately 220 Ibs. It will be launched into a circular orbit, 550±50 km altitude, at 97.5° inclination for sun-synchronous precession at 10:30-22:30 solar time. It will spin at 5 rpm with the spin axis normal to the orbit plane. It carries three instruments: An ultraviolet spectrometer to measure nitric oxide altitude profiles, a two-channel ultraviolet photometer to measure auroral emissions beneath the spacecraft, and a five-channel solar soft X-ray photometer.The spacecraft structure is aluminum, with a center platform section for the instruments and primary components and truss work to hold the solar arrays. Power is regulated using switched arrays and a partial shunt. The attitude determination and control system uses a magnetometer, two torque rods, and two horizon crossing indicators to measure spin rate and orientation. Attitude control is implemented open-loop by ground commands. The command and data handling system is implemented using a single spacecraft microprocessor that handles all spacecraft and communications functions and instrument data. The communications system is NASA compatible for downlink using the Autonomous Ground Services station at Poker Flat; all mission operations, data processing, and analysis will be performed using a project operations control center (POCC) at the LASP Space Technology Research building.2. Introduction The Student Explorer Demonstration Initiative (STEDI) is a program administrated by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) and funded by NASA. Its goal is to demonstrate that significant scientific and/or technology experiments can be accomplished with small satellites and constrained budgets. The original design parameters for low-earthorbit experiments were "300 pounds to 300 nautical miles" for one year in polar or near-polar orbit. A firm budget limit of $4.3M was applied to the spacecraft, i...

The effect of gender on environmental concern among samples of college students in the Middle East is examined in this article. The current study investigates gender's influence on environmental awareness, degree of support for efforts to solve environmental problems, and willingness to make personal contribution to solve environmental problems. Data were obtained from the Unit for Community and Environmental Studies in the SSRC at Mississippi State University. To achieve the objectives of this study, Factor Analysis and multiple regressions were used. In line with the literature, the results indicate inconsistent and unclear effect of gender on levels of concern about the environment in the Middle East.

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