Pterodactyl BalloonSat
[Team Mate]Erick Chewakin, Emma Mossinger, Will Hakes,
Amelia Weller, Jason Schelz, Brendon Charles, Ethan Long
[Pterodactyl [CK1]BalloonSat]
Proposal for a design to fulfill the requirements for BalloonSat Missions to the Edge or Space set forth by The Colorado Space Grant Consortium, The University of Colorado at Boulder Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, and the Edge of Space Sciences.
10/5/2010
Rev A/B
Table of Contents
1.0Mission Overview------2
2.0Requirements Flow Down------3
3.0Design------4
4.0Management------9
5.0Budget------11
6.0Test Plan and Results------11
7.0Expected Results------13
1.0 Mission Overview
Mission Statement:
The Mission of Team Mate is to design and construct a balloon satellite capable of collecting data on radiation of 395 to 400 nm in wavelength as the payload passes throughthe atmospheric levels as it ascends to near 100km, as well as remaining intact until recovery by the team and comparison of data to control data recorded on the ground. Additionally, Team Mate shall fly a camera on the payload, visually documenting the journey into near-space.
Mission Overview:
According to NASA’s heliophysics division, the Sun has recently increased its activity level in the form of multiple sun-spots and solar flares, expected to continue and increase in frequency until peaking around the year two-thousand thirteen. As this activity began only recently, no recent BalloonSats have recorded data on this phenomenon. The sun releases elevated levels of magnetism and radiation during cycles of increased activity, erupting solar storms into space. Sun spots and other phenomena send charged particles into space in the form of a solar wind, and some of these charged particles that stream through space invariably encounter Earth and Earth’s atmosphere. These charged particles collide with particles in Earth’s atmosphere and scatter before reaching the crust and therefore the Earth’s inhabitants. Thus, although we may not notice a difference on the Earth’s surface, it has been predicted that these storms may cause massive problems in telecommunications, power grids, and widespread satellite malfunctions, and one hypothesis on the recent solar activity stated that the Aurora could possibly become visible at lower latitudes. As a result, it is the hypothesis of this team that the Earth’s atmosphere experiences increased amounts of ultraviolet radiation due directly to the solar flares and other solar activities. To check our hypothesis, we shall compare our results to last year’s atmospheric ultraviolet radiation levels as well as to previous student payloads measuring these selfsame values if any exist. More specifically, the wavelengths of ultraviolet light measured shall fall under those normally classified under UVA rays in the range of wavelength 395 to 400 nm in order to get a more cogent sampling. This experiment will show what percent change in ultraviolet radiation has been caused due to the spike in solar activity, if any, as well as ascertain which specific levels of the atmosphere are affected.
This information could be used to predict how the Sun’s activity could affect the Earth and those on the Earth over the next several years of augmented solar activity. For instance, the radiation could interfere with artificial satellites’ ability to send and receive data if the radiation intensity surpasses levels for normal operation. This may affect GPS, cellular telephones, and research efforts on the ground as well as on orbiting labs and satellites. It may even branch out to affect communication on the ground. Additionally, if the levels breach standard levels low enough in the atmosphere, it would begin to affect the safety of pilots and those travelling by airplane by exposing the aforementioned persons to superfluous amounts of ultraviolet rays without sufficient warning of the elevated risk. Those on the ground may even be advised to practice safer ultraviolet protection methods depending on the radiation levels.
Project Level RequirementsRequirement / Description / Parent Req. / Verification
P1 / The payload shall measure UV radiation as altitude increases / Mission Statement / Verified through verification of requirements S1-S4
P2 / The payload shall record the flight through a series of pictures / Mission Statement / Verified through verification of requirements S5, S5.1
P3 / The payload shall follow the requirements presented in the balloon sat user guide / Mission Statement / Verified through verification of requirements S5, S6, S7, S8
P4 / The payload shall record internal and external temperature along with relative humidity / Mission Statement / Verified through verification of requirements S9
2.0 Requirements Flow Down
System Level RequirementsRequirement / Description / Parent Req / Verification
S1a / The payload shall be able to measure the reverse voltage and current sent by the LED / P1
S2 / The payload shall have LED's both facing up and facing the earth / P1
S3 / The payload shall be able to collect voltage data that can be converted into the intensity of the radiation / P1
S4 / The payload shall store the data recorded from the LED's / P1
S5 / The payload shall include a camera / P2, P3
S5.1 / The payload shall have a camera with a sufficient memory that takes pictures every 10 seconds / P2
S6 / The payload shall not exeed 1.5 kg / P3
S7 / The system shall be launched by a 3000 g latex balloon to a height of 30 km / P3
S8 / The payload shall be attatched to a flight string / P3
S9 / The paload shall include a HOBO data logger / P4
General Mission Requirements:
1)Design shall collect data on UV radiation by using photodiodes and analyzing the data collected when we have the satellite and information back.
2)Design shall secure components in a way such as it can be used again by simply re-closing it and re-setting the switches.
3)Design shall use PVC tube in the center of the BalloonSat in order to put the string inside, and shall connect to the BalloonSat using a washer, hot glue, and a paper clip so that it does not pull through.
4)Design shall control its temperature using foam insulation and a heater.
5)Design weight BalloonSat shall be 713.4 g (depending on variable materials such as tape and hot glue, etc.)
6)Team shall acquire information on the ascent and descent rates of the flight string by using the information collected by the GPS.
7)HOBO shall fit inside payload.
8)Design shall include external temperature cable.
9)Design shall include Canon A570IS Camera inside payload.
10)Design shall include heater system and 9 volts batteries.
11)Design shall use foam core as the primary component of the structure.
12)Itemized budget includes spare parts.
13)Design shall include contact information and a US flag attached to the outside of the structure.
14)All documentations shall be in standard metric measures.
15)All shall pursue any and all opportunities to get a ride to the launch on November 6, 2010. All members wish to participate in the recovery; if no transportation is available, Amelia Weller shall recover the payload as group leader.
16)Safety precautions shall be in place to protect ourselves and others.
17)All Gateway to Space property shall be returned at the end of the semester in working condition.
18)This team shall keep all records of budget and receipts, submitting all paperwork regarding purchases to Chris following the guidelines set forth by HW 04.
19)This team shall submit all receipts to Chris.
20)This team shall continue to have fun along with using its best creative powers in all endeavors.
21)Design shall include no living organism.
22)This team shall complete a final report and create a team video.
3.0 Design
Technical Overview:
In order to effectively measure the levels of UVA radiation present through the different layers of the atmosphere, the satellite shall contain several different devices for the purpose of recording and storing data. They shall be separately integrated into the payload, such as the heater, HOBO, camera, and Arduino, so that the failure of one system will not adversely affect the others and at least some data will be ensured. One of these sensors shall be the HOBO, which will operate independently and record its own atmospheric data in case the Arduino with the primary sensor fails. The second and primary shall be a series of light emitting diodes (LEDs.Any electromagnetic waves of wavelength 395 to 400 nm incident upon the diodes shall induce a voltage in the LEDs in the reverse fashion to the LEDs’ standard operation, capturing light instead of emitting it. Once the signals from the LEDs have been amplified with an amplifier and wired in the correct order with resistors, these shall interface to an ArduinoDuemilanove board in order to store data points in a coherent and linear chronological fashion. The amount of observed radiation will be proportional to the voltages recorded during flight. Upon recovery, the recorded data shall be compared to the best available data taken at a time before the spike in solar activity either from a previous BalloonSat mission or available archived research from NASA. Additionally, a Canon A570IS Digital Camera shall be flown on the payload with modified firmware commanding the camera to independently take photographs of the flight at a predefined interval. These photographs will reside on the camera’s internal memory until recovery by the team.
The payload shall interface to the flight line by passing the line through a tube running through the center of the payload in order to minimize torque and torsion and better maintain structural integrity during flight. The tube’s location will be removed from the sensors to the limited extent possible to avoid disturbance of the sensors during flight by the motion of the flight line.
Hardware:
In order to turn this design into a functional BalloonSat, the materials necessary must be obtained. This will include 40 ultraviolet LEDs in order to measure the quantity of UV radiation Once these have been obtained, they shall be interfaced with the Arduino microcontroller in order to make sure that the system is both compatible with the satellite design and accurately collecting and recording data. We will also us the Canon A570IS Digital Camera to take pictures of the flight. This will be pointed out of a window of sufficient dimensions on the side of the near-spacecraft in order to get the best view of the flight. The structure will be made out of foam core and insulated with foam in order to make sure all systems stay functional during flight. There will also be a heater placed on the side opposite of our power supply in order to better disperse heat throughout the payload.
- The Arduino (Duemilanove) Main Board micro-controller shall be ordered from SparkFun.
- The Ultraviolet LEDs will be purchased from SparkFun
- The 9V batteries will be purchased from the hardware store that has the best quality batteries for the best price.
Safety:
For team safety, the use normal safety precautions shall be implemented including common sense at all times. When needed, safety glasses and gloves shall be used. When soldering, grounding bracelets shall prevent static discharge. When performing structure tests, team members shall be sufficiently removed before performing tests. When working with Ultraviolet lights team members will wear eye protection to prevent eye damage from the harmful UV rays. On launch day, all but one team member holding the payload shall move away so that there will be a smooth launch and no chance for injury. To ensure the projects’ safety, no sharp edges near the balloon cord shall be permitted. To ensure that the satellites fall softly back to earth, without endangering any persons or damaging property, a recovery parachute provided by EOSS shall be attached just below the balloon. Any work done on the payload shall be done with two or more team members present or at the very least in a supervised workshop with team approval.
Special Features:
Ultraviolet LEDs
These sensors are the main component of the payload’s science. Twenty LEDs shall fly on the payload, while the remainder shall serve as replacements. The LEDs will be measuring the amount of radiation between 395 and 400 nm emitted from the sun during this increase in solar radiation, thus allowing the data to be compared to the normal levels of UV radiation. Additionally, the LEDs shall be oriented out of ports of appropriate dimensions, twenty on the top of the payload and twenty on the bottom of the payload, in order to collect more diverse accurate data on radiation levels. The top and bottom LED sets shall record data independently in order to capture incoming radiation and that reflected by the atmosphere individually. If possible, several of the excess LEDs shall be used to measure the radiation experienced on the ground during the flight as a control.
Micro-Controller
The micro-controller is an Arduino (Duemilanove) Main Board. Its operating voltage is 5V and it can be connected to our 9V batteries. The micro-controller has 32KB of Flash memory for datalogging during flight. The Arduino Main Board interfaces directly with the LEDs recording the amplified voltages created by striking UV photons.
4.0 Management
Schedule:
Date / Time / What9/7 / 6:45 PM / First Meeting
9/9 / 7:30 PM / Begin Proposal
9/10 / 2:20 PM / Assign Specializations
9/14 / 7:30 PM / Team Meeting (design complete)
9/15 / 6:30 PM / Team Meeting (proposals complete)
9/16 / 7:00 AM / Proposals AND Presentations Due
9/21 / At apt / Order Hardware
9/28 / 7:00 PM / Team Meeting (begin construction)
9/28 / 9:30 AM / Heater Due
10/5 / 7:00 AM / DD Rev A/B and CDR Presentation Due
10/5 / 7:00 PM / Team Meeting (construct box out of foamcore)
10/12 / 7:00 PM / Team Meeting (prototyping design complete)
10/14 / 7:00 PM / Team Meeting (cold test complete)
10/19 / 7:00 PM / Team Meeting (individual piece tests)
10/21 / 7:00 PM / Team Meeting (flight stimulation [whip, drop, etc])
10/26 / 9:30 AM / Pre-Launch Inspection
10/26 / 7:00 PM / Team Meeting
10/28 / 9:30 AM / Mission Test
11/2 / 7:00 AM / LLR Presentations and DD Rev C Due
11/2 / 7:00 PM / Team Meeting (design review)
11/5 / At apt / Balloon Weigh-in and Turn In
11/5 / 2:00 PM / DLC 270A & LRR Cards Due
11/6 / 4:45 AM / LAUNCH DAY!
11/16 / 7:00 PM / Team Meeting (work on presentation)
11/23 / 7:00 PM / Team Meeting (work on presentation)
11/30 / 7:00 AM / All Presentations and Data Due
12/4 / 9:00 AM / DD Rev D and Team Videos Due
As noted on the calendar, team has weekly meetings. Additional team meetings shall be arranged on a need basis.
Team Member / Address / Phone # / Specialty / Assistant PositionAmelia Weller / Cockerell 109 / (775)220-4294 / Team Leader and Budget/Schedule / Testing
Brendon Barela / Crosman 104 / (303)518-7810 / Document Control / C&DH and Science
Emma Mossinger / Crosman 203 / (925)348-0954 / Testing Lead / Structures/Thermal
Ethan Long / Aden / (303)587-0220 / Structures/Thermal Lead / Electrical
Erick Chewakin / Brackett 206 / (719)433-1480 / Electrical Lead / Structure
Jason Schelz / Crosman 120 / (203)912-3059 / C&DH / Structure/Thermal
Will Hakes / Crosman 004 / (970)749-9158 / Science Lead / Electrical
Breif Team Summary:
C. William Hakes is an Open Option Engineering Major from Durango, Colorado. He still plays with LEGOs. All of the time.
Brendon Barela is an aerospace engineer major from Littleton, Colorado born 9/18/1991. He enjoys watching the Oakland Raiders win on Sundays and is therefore rarely happy.
Ethan Long is an aerospace engineer major from Highlands Ranch, Colorado . He was born on 03/23/1992. He likes to play ultimate Frisbee, go on bike rides, and go on hikes. He also likes to watch the TV show Futurama.
Jason Schelz is an aerospace engineering sciences major from Riverside, CT. He was born in Port Chester, NY on 08/28/92. His favorite movie is The Dark Knight. He loves to go skiing in the winter and go on hikes in the warm weather.
Emma Mossinger was born in Concord, California on October 5, 1991. She loves the color purple, running and flying trapeze. When she is older she hopes to send her work to space and be an aerospace engineer.
Amelia Weller was born in Reno, Nevada on September 28, 1992. She enjoys skiing and listening to music. Her favourite kind of music would have to either be indie or metal. She has also never eaten a pop-tart.
Erick Chewakin was born on November 13, 199 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he was raised, He enjoys playing numerous sports and instruments in his spare time. After graduating Valedictorian from Thomas B. Doherty High School, he is now an Aerospace Engineering major at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Budget:
In order to prevent over spending, Amelia has been appointed as the head of budget. She shall be responsible for keeping a very detailed itemized record of any money the group spends and shall sign off on product purchases. This team shall make provisions for obtaining all purchases for which it is possible using the Gateway order form and will make appointments with Professor Koehler during purchasing times to ensure all purchases are properly reimbursed and money is taken from the correct team fund. In addition, any purchases made by any team member shall be submitted within a week in order to receive reimbursement.
5.0 Budget
Component / Price (including shipping) / Weight / Place of PurchaseHOBO Data Logger / Provided / 25.0g / n/a
Foam core / Provided / 100g / n/a
Canon A570IS Digital Camera w/ Memory Card / Provided / 220.0g / n/a
9V Batteries / $25 / 101.4g / Hardware Store
Heater / Provided / 100g / n/a
Arduino USB Board (Duemilanove) / $36.85 + tax / 32.0g / SparkFun
Aluminum Tape / Provided / 10.0g / n/a
UV LEDs / $0.95*40=$38 / 5.0g / SparkFun
PVC Tubing / Provided / 20.0g / n/a
Washer and Paperclip / Provided by ITLL Electronics Lab / 5.0g / We have these
Foam Insulation / Provided / 20.0g / n/a
Hot Glue / Provided / 50.0g / n/a
Velcro / $5 / 5.0g / Hardware Store
Switches / Provided / 20.0g / n/a
TOTALS: / PRICE: / Weight:
$104.85 / 713.4
6.0 Test Plan and Results
Testing:
The first series of tests scheduled for the payload are on the foam core structure. To simulate the possible stresses experienced during flight and landing, the empty payload shall be loaded with dead weight of reasonable similarity to the load of the sensors and dropped from a height of about 7 meters. Also, the “whip test” will simulate the loads experienced by hanging from the flight line by attaching the structure to a line running through the center tube just as during flight; the payload will then be swung in violently. Additionally, a series of tumbles down a stairway will simulate the impacts of landing and further test the integrity of the payload. These tests will reveal the strength and durability of the structure, and most importantly if it can survive free fall, dropping and dragging, and winds such as after the balloon burst all experienced during flight. Then, the mechanics and sensors inside the Balloon Satellite shall be tested using less destructive methods in order to avoid unnecessary wasting of equipment. For the HOBO, the temperature gauges shall be checked by getting them warm by radiation and conduction; also, a team member shall breathe on the humidity tracker to ascertain how accurately the data comes up on the computer. Next, the UV LED sensors shall be exposed to other UV LEDs emitting at known values for an amount of time comparable to the duration of the flight to see if the Ardunino board successfully receives and records the information. The LEDs used as sensors must respond to the emitting diodes by displaying a reverse voltage readable by the microcontroller. This will ensure that the Arduino board will be able to effectively collect data on the UV radiation levels in order to compare between years with solar flares and years without solar flares, the primary mission. The heater shall be inspected for functionality by running it in standard conditions, in the dry ice cooler, and for extended periods of time during these tests, the HOBO shall be running, also, in order to see how warm it is staying. Then, the camera shall take pictures through the window to ensure that the pictures are of acceptable quality. The camera shall also undergo a series of moderate shake tests after install to ensure it is securely fastened, as it is a component which cannot afford to move during flight. Once each of these parts has been tested and cleared, they will be assembled to see that they function as expected and test that the voltages are correct for the Ardunino board using a volt meter. The last step will be to test the whole system in a cooler full of dry ice to see if the heater keeps the system at -10 degrees Celsius or above and the components continue to function.