ARIZONA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM SYMPOSIUM 19 APRIL, 2008 Pima Community College ASCEND Team NW...
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Transcript of ARIZONA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM SYMPOSIUM 19 APRIL, 2008 Pima Community College ASCEND Team NW...
ARIZONA SPACE GRANT
CONSORTIUM SYMPOSIUM
19 APRIL, 2008
Pima Community College ASCEND Team
NW Campus
Pima Community College ASCEND Team
• Daniel Jerrim Instrumentation• Roscoe Vertein Design/Construction• Dr. Denise Meeks Faculty/Mentor• Mike Sampogna Faculty/Mentor
Roscoe Denise Daniel MikeRoscoe Denise Daniel MikeRoscoe Denise Daniel MikeRoscoe Denise Daniel MikeRoscoe Denise Daniel Mike
Background
• Roscoe Vertein– Military weather– Mechanical aptitude– Love of physics
• Daniel Jerrim– Obsession with technology– Basic computer knowledge– Passion for building/creating
Motivation…?
INESCAPABLESCIENTIFIC CURIOSITY
NASA sponsored, ANSR affiliatedAnd of course, the educational benefits
The “Why?”
• Astronomy students
• Volunteer
• Outside normal workload
• Principle to practical
• Building the “Toolbox” of knowledge
• Needed another notch on the… pocket protector
In the Beginning…
• Submitted grant proposal for ANSR/ASCEND project
• Smartest, cutest, most capable and imaginative students both from Astronomy 101 & 102
• Our team was formed, 2 instructors and 2 students
The Plan
• Received basic module design
• Parts ordered
• Duties divided according to expertise
K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid)
B Battery
TC Timing Circuit
DC Digital Camera
HTR Heater
H HOBO
S Sensor
The Breakdown
Electronics
Fabrication
Bringing It Together
• Last minute changes– New logger
• Malfunction with pressure logger interface– Overnight new pressure logger
– New support/load bearing center pole• PVC tubing and cement untested at low pressure
and temperature– Used lamp rod, washers, and nuts
Preflight Orientation
• Arrival
• Observations– Networking with veteran teams – Examining their projects/experiments
• The ASCEND rookies– Plenty of motivation– Lack of experience– The devil is in the details
The Night Before Launch
• Discussing the future of our participation– Preplanning our next payload– Here and now!
• Burning the 3 a.m. oil– Removed panels for final setup– Tested all equipment operation– Checked and rechecked wiring– Set and reset programs
The Breakdown
Last Minute Preparations
• Final convoy arrangements
• Forecasting balloon course
• Real-time payload tracking
• Coordinating communications and route
Preparing for Launch
• Initializing payload – Fresh battery installation
• Digital camera• Timing circuit• Heater
– Final configuration of loggers– Final testing of camera
• Aluminum tape seal of load • Flipping of outer switches
Final Touches
Power Switches
Aluminum Sealing
Filling of Balloon
• Balloon filled with helium
• Approximately 20% more than total combined weight of payloads
• Four-person balloon-stabilizing team
• Watch out for bursts of wind
WINDY DAY!!!!
Send Off
• Payloads separated along cord
• Aligned for launch
The Chase
• From Gila Bend to Black Mt.• Tracked by GPS
Payload at 62,000 ft
The Route
The Recovery
• GPS set to 32.8103,-111.3240
• 20 minutes by foot
• Just east from Newman Peak
Temp, °C 30.2° to -22.1°DewPt, °C 8.9° to -49.3°RH, % 35.0° to 5.1°
Recovered Data
What We Learned
• Fabrication materials• Construction methods• Equipment reliability and functionality• Attention to detail• New questions to ask• Identified unpredicted power anomalies• Education
– Temperature variation– Pressure changes with altitude
Next Time…
• Research– New equipment– Sensor capabilities– Data acquisition techniques
• More time to work
• Know who to contact for help
• More Testing
Future Project Plans
• Solar power• Single mother board• GPS• Radio Transmitter• Multiple cameras• Video• Pressure
• Altitude• Temp.
- Inside payload
- Outside• Humidity• Accelerometer• EM radiation
Special Thanks
• Jack Crabtree • ANSR• Susan Brew• Arizona Space Grant Consortium• NASA • ASCEND participants • Northwest Campus administration • Everyone at the launch and recovery• Mike Sampogna • Denise Meeks
Questions?