Gateway to Space ASEN/ASTR 2500 Spring 2006
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
Gateway to Space
Fall 2006
Design Document
Team Hubble Jr.
Written by:
Holly Zaepfel, Rachel Small, Kyle Norman,
Ryan Del Gizzi, Chris Everhart, Evan Levy
November 9, 2006
Revision C
Table of Contents
1.0 Mission Overview 3
2.0 Design 4
3.0 Management 9
4.0 Budget 11
5.0 Test Plan and Results………………………………………………………………...….12
6.0 Expected Results………………………………………………………………………...15
Page 11 of 15
Gateway to Space ASEN/ASTR 2500 Spring 2006
1.0 Mission Overview
Primary Mission:
The primary mission of Team Hubble Jr. is to use a photometer to measure the amount of light scattered through the atmosphere (as frequency in wavelength) as altitude increases showing that the higher the satellite is, the less light is scattered because there are fewer particles and molecules in the upper atmosphere. We also hope to recover data pertaining to temperature and humidity from our HOBO data logger to see the relationship between these factors and the levels of the atmosphere.
Secondary Mission:
To successfully integrate a small field monocular with a video camera, therefore providing our team with video footage from which we can obtain close-up, clear pictures of the horizon. This experiment will also allow our team to discover the functionality of a monocular lens as a telescope in near space. Additionally, a still image camera will be flown to take pictures of the horizon which we hope to compare with the video footage.
We are designing our balloon satellite to operate primarily as a light analysis device and secondarily as a near-space telescope and image capture platform. Additionally, we will capture both external and internal temperature readings. Our primary experiment will use a TSL230 Photometer that converts detected light frequencies into voltage values that can be recorded onto the BASIC Stamp 2 memory for later extraction and plotting. This will offer data about the atmosphere remaining around the satellite as altitude changes by measuring the level of light scattered by air molecules and upper atmospheric dust particles. For our flight we will have the detected input light diffused through an opaque ping pong ball. We chose the TSL230 Photometer because of its versatility, low cost, and stable operation in varying temperatures.
2.0 Design
The outer shell will be constructed from foam board in the shape of a cube. Hot glue and aluminum tape will be used to securely hold the edges of the cube together. The inside of the cube will be lined with insulation for two purposes. The first reason is to insulate to satellite from the extreme cold of the upper atmosphere and keep the electronics inside the satellite warm enough to function properly. The second reason will be to help protect the sensitive electronics during the most violent conditions of the satellites flight, balloon burst and landing. Batteries will be carefully placed after everything else has been integrated in the satellite in order to balance the center of mass as close to the flight string as possible. Each subsystem will operate independently of each other to prevent the “Christmas light” effect and a complete mission failure. All components will be mounted either on perimeter walls or on separate pieces of foam board running perpendicular to the base and ceiling of the satellite. We will interface the flight string with the satellite via small diameter plastic tubing running through the center of the satellite. The plastic tubing will be held in place with threaded fasteners on the outside of the satellite caps to help displace the forces from the flight string to the entire surface of the foam board.
Our primary experiment will be a light to frequency photometer that will measure the amount of light scattered as the atmosphere becomes thinner. We will be using a TSL230 photometer manufactured by Texas Instruments. We expect that the thin atmosphere at 100,000 feet will scatter less sunlight than at ground level and therefore we should capture longer frequency data as the flight progresses upward. This data will be collected by a BASIC Stamp 2 Microcontroller that is programmed to convert the voltage frequencies received into numerical “messages” that can be plotted with respect to time.
The telescope system will be composed of two primary pieces of hardware. The first will be the telescope itself, which given the total weight limit of our satellite, we will use a light-weight field monocular similar to what hunters and golfers use. The monocular specified has a 12X zoom capability and a field of view of 241 ft at 1000 yards. This will be coupled with the second component; a children’s miniature camcorder for video capture that has a 4X digital zoom capability. The total zoom will be 16X. This means that the captured view will be 16 times the size of what would be viewed by a human eye. The video camera has a resolution of 320 X 240 at 1.3 Mega Pixels. Our video recording medium will be a removable 512 MB SD Memory card to allow for continuous recording for as long as the camera will allow.
Our secondary imaging system will be composed of a still image film camera that will be operated by the Velleman 555 timing circuit; both are provided outside of our working budget. The timing between each still image capture will be approximately 3 minutes. This will provide 75 minute capture window as the camera will have a 25 exposure roll of film loaded.
The heater will operate on two 9 volt batteries. We will also provide a steady 9 volt power supply to the microcontroller and photometer that should be independent of the heater circuit.
SUBSYSTEM AND OVERALL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
In our primary experiment, we have programmed the microcontroller to operate and collect data from the photometer. This was accomplished by using Parallax’s BASIC Stamp Editor Software (version 2.2.6) to write the source code, compile, debug, and finally upload onto the microcontroller. We are also using a Parallax “Board of Education” programming circuit board with USB connectivity to a PC to perform the programming and uploading of data. The board belongs to one of the team members and is not part of the parts list or budget. This will also serve as the means of connection to extract the captured data after the satellites land.
The Photometer system will require a constant 9 volt power supply and a toggle switch to activate the microcontroller at the time of flight. The secondary experiment, as explained earlier, will use 3 volts to power the video camera which will be provided by the onboard batteries ((2) 1.5 volt AA). We will need to turn the camera on and start the recording prior to flight since there will be no other control other than what is built into the camera. We can check the zoom and adjust as necessary with the view finder screen. The still image camera system has on board battery power for the camera itself, and the timing circuit will require 12 volts from the battery pack that was included at assembly. The weather monitoring system (HOBO) will run on a small battery attached to the board. The thermal protection system (Heater) will run on two 9 volt batteries to provide heat from two resistors.
FINAL PARTS FLYING IN SATELLITE
Foam-Core / Structure / 1
Length of aluminum tape / Structure / 1
ELPH Still Camera / Still Image (Primary) / 1
Velleman 555 Timer Circuit / Still Image (Primary) / 1
Battery Pack / Still Image (Primary) / 1
Film for Camera / Still Image (Primary) / 2
HOBO H08-004-02 Data Logger / Weather / 1
Temperature sensor / Weather / 1
Heater Circuit Assembly / Thermal Protection / 1
9 Volt Batteries / Thermal Protection / 3
Unit of insulation / Thermal Protection / 1
TSL230 Photometer Assembly / Photometer / 1
Ping Pong Ball used as a light diffuser / Photometer / 1
Basic Stamp 2 Microcontroller / Photometer / 1
Winchester Model WM-1225 12X25 Monocular / Telescope / 1
VCamNow children’s camcorder / Telescope / 1
512 Mb SD Memory Card for video capture / Telescope / 1
Power Switches / Power System / 2
SOLID WORKS MODEL
FUNCTIONAL BLOCK DIAGRAM
3.0 Management
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
SCHEDULE
September
· 21st: CoDR presentation due
· 22nd: Team meeting, 11:30am
· 28th: DD Rev A assigned
· 29th: Team meeting, 11:30am
October
· 6th: Team meeting, 11:30am, begin purchasing and ordering hardware
· 9th: DD Rev A due
· 13th: Team meeting, 11:30am
· 17th: Begin construction of BalloonSat, CDR presentation due, DD Rev B due
· 20th: Team meeting, 11:30am, work on construction
· 22nd: Team meeting, 11:30am, work on construction
· 25th: Subsystems test
· 27th: Team meeting, 11:30am, Drop and Whip Tests
· 30th: Cooler Test
November
· 1st: Stair and Image Tests
· 3rd: 2nd Cooler Test
· 5th: Team meeting, 11:30am, work on construction
· 6th: Team meeting, 11:30am, work on construction
· 8th: Mission Simulation Test, finalize everything
· 9th: LRR Cards due, DD Rev C due, turn in satellite
· 10th: Team meeting, 11:30am
· 11th: LAUNCH DAY!!!
· 17th: Team meeting, 11:30am
· 24th: Team meeting, 11:30am
· 26th: Team meeting
· 30th: DD Rev D due
December
· 4th: Final team meeting
· 5th: Final presentation due
· 9th: Design Expo
· 12th: Hardware turn – in and reimbursements
Time limitations: In order to ensure that enough time is allotted for testing, the construction and integration of all components and systems will need to be completed as soon as possible. By following the above schedule and making proper use of in class team time, our group should experience minimal time constraints. Due to the earlier launch date this year, the satellite construction and testing will need to be completed in a shorter time period than what is usually allowed; therefore scheduling has been adjusted accordingly.
4.0 Budget
Money BudgetIncome / Amount
Allowance from CSGS and EOSS / $275
Total income / $275
Expenses / Cost / Percent
VCamNow Camcorder / $85.31 / 36.35%
Winchester 12x25 Monocular / $20.61 / 8.78%
Flight Tube Materials / $21.10 / 8.99%
TSL230 Light to Frequency Converter / $4.95 / 2.11%
512 SD Memory Card / $27.03 / 11.52%
BASIC Stamp / $49.00 / 20.88%
Anti-fog / $4.32 / 1.84%
Batteries / $14.17 / 6.04%
Shipping / $8.21 / 3.50%
Total expenses / $234.70 / 100.00%
Total Expenses / $234.70
Difference between income and expenses / $40.30
Mass Budget
Components / Mass (g) / Percent
Foam-Core box / 86.0 / 10.70%
ELPH Still Camera with battery and film / 129.5 / 16.12%
Velleman 555 Timer Circuit with battery case and batteries / 70.5 / 8.78%
Flight Tube with caps / 37.2 / 4.63%
HOBO H08-004-02 Data Logger with temperature probe / 24.5 / 3.05%
Heater Circuit / 25.9 / 3.22%
Two 9 Volt Batteries / 92.2 / 11.48%
Unit of insulation / 19.8 / 2.46%
TSL230 Photometer System with Basic Stamp 2 Microcontroller and battery / 88.5 / 11.02%
Telescope System (VCamNow camcorder with battery and memory card and Winchester monocular) / 223.3 / 27.79%
Power Switches / 6.0 / 0.75%
Total Mass / 803.4 / 100.00%
5.0 Test Plan and Results
TEST PLAN
We will complete the following tests that will challenge our satellite.
The first of the five tests is the Drop Test. The Drop Test will consist of a team member standing fifteen feet above the ground and dropping the completely operational cube to determine if the satellite can still function after the drop.
The second test is the Cooler Test. During the flight our satellite will experience cold temperatures as it ascends. The satellite will be put into a cooler with dry ice for one to two hours. The Cooler Test will determine whether or not the satellite can withstand the intense cold of near space. During testing we will make sure to monitor the batteries. If new batteries are needed, we will test them with a voltage meter.
The third test to be conducted is the Subsystem Test, which will determine the functionality of our telescope, digital camera, HOBO and photometer as individual systems. The telescope will give us a closer view of the horizon during the flight. The digital camera’s sole responsibility is to take still photos of the earth. The HOBO will measure internal and external temperature as well as humidity. Lastly, the photometer will measure how the intensity of light varies with altitude. If any of these subsystems do not function properly, additional tests will be administered following the correction of the problem.
The fourth test is the Whip Test. The Whip Test requires us to attach a string to our satellite, and “whip” our satellite around on the end of the string. After the test is complete we will examine the structural integrity and check subsystems to see if they are fully operational.
The fifth test will be an Image Test. To test the still and video camera systems we will do a simulation around the campus with the cameras operating. After a tour of the campus, we will check the video and still image data from the cameras and repair any problems that we are faced with. The duration of the 2GB SD memory card will be assessed at this time. An additional component to this test will be to ensure that the data from the video camera can successfully be uploaded to a computer.
The final test will be the Mission Simulation Test. The purpose of the Mission Simulation Test is to ensure that the satellite can function as an integrated system. Data will be analyzed, and if any one subsystem is not functional, then necessary corrections and adjustments will be made.
TEST RESULTS
The first test completed was the whip test. This test was very successful and no problems were encountered. The satellite and flight tube held up well.
The stair test was carried out next. During the first roll down the stairs there was no damage to the box. The second time down the stairs we decided to give the satellite more initial momentum. After this test one seam in the box began to tear, however, there was no significant damage to the box during the stair test. It was a success.