Harding University Flying Bison 2010 USLI Team

Team OfficialProject Progress ManagerSafety Officer Edmond WilsonCortney, Mgr.Edmond Wilson AirframeMotor Science Payload Avionics Launch Operations RecoveryOutreach Greg, Mgr. Matt G., Mgr. Darah, Mgr. Chi, Mgr. Matt I., Mgr. Patrick, Mgr. Elizabeth, Mgr. ElizabethLibbyChiHunterMatt G.ShailerCortney LibbyJoshLibbyLisaMeredithHunterNathan HunterLisaElizabethPatrickJoshMeredith Matt G.NathanCortneyShailer AprilHunter

 Design, build, test and fly a high powered hybrid rocket  Reach exactly an altitude of 5280 feet  Carry a science payload to measure alpha, beta and gamma radiation as a function of altitude  Measure temperature, pressure and x-, y-, z- acceleration during the flight  Complete such activities without damage to life and property  Recover rocket vehicle in a reusable condition

This presentation includes reports from:  Airframe Division  Motor Division  Science Payload Division  Avionics Division  Launch Operations Division  Recovery Division  Outreach Division

Team Members Elizabeth Libby Hunter Matt G.

 General Dimensions: ◦ 90.3” total length ◦ 4.09” OD, 3.9” ID ◦ 16.8” nose cone ◦ ~7.5” boattail  No transitions or irregular protrusions are present along the airframe.

 Aft Fin Set (Trapezoidal): ◦ 4” semi span ◦ 8” root chord ◦ 4” tip chord  Mid Fin Set (Triangular): ◦ 4” semi span ◦ 6.5” root chord

 The vehicle body is composed of pre- fiberglassed phenolic tubing, avalible from Public Missiles. ◦ Material weighs more than standard phenolic or Quantum tubing. ◦ Overall integrity of the airframe will be greatly improved. ◦ K888 motor allows for extra weight.

 All bulkheads and centering rings are composed of 5-ply aircraft plywood.  The 75mm motor mount tube is composed of phenolic tubing.  Both sets of fins are composed of G10 fiberglass, available from PML. ◦ Fins will be mounted using through-the-wall method, and reinforced with carbon fiber and fiberglass cloth.

 CP: 58.16” from nose  CG: 51.94” from nose  Stability Margin: ◦ 6.22” ◦ 1.55 body calibers ◦ Overstable within the desired margin.

 Plans for component verification: ◦ Tensile strength testing of all load-bearing components of the recovery system (excluding the parachutes). ◦ Compression strength testing of airframe tubing and other relevant components. ◦ Ejection charge testing.  Test launch of both scale model and full launch vehicle are planned.

Team Members Libby Josh Lisa

 Contrail Rockets Certified K-888-BM Hybrid Motor with medium nozzle ◦ 2050 cm 3 N 2 O Tank ◦ 10 in Combustion Chamber ◦ 40 in long ◦ Fuel Grain – Medium Black ◦ Total weight 4173 g ◦ Total impulse 2400 N. m ◦ Average Thrust 895 N ◦ Maximum Thrust 3024 N ◦ Burn time 2.67 seconds

 We have several years of hybrid rocket motor sensor development  We are able to further our research on hybrid rocket motor exhaust plume characterization  Increased safety and more friendly on the environment than the traditional solid motor  Potential uses for delivering payloads in low Earth orbit

Team Members Chi Libby Elizabeth Nathan

 The primary mission of the Payload Division is to measure alpha, beta, and gamma radiation as a function of altitude using a Geiger radiation sensor.  Our secondary mission is to measure temperature, atmospheric pressure, and acceleration in the x, y, and z direction.

 Radiation is a concern of every day life.  Radiation levels approximately double for every 5000 feet in altitude.  This can be a serious problem for travel in jet aircraft or rockets low to Earth orbit.  Radiation is harmful to both humans and electronic equipment.  Single Event Phenomena, or SEP, can cause burnout of electrical circuits of bit flips in logic circuits. These are serious problems. Science Background

 There is little data concerning radiation available for suborbital space.  Surface Radiation – 14 Counts per second  Increases many fold due to environmental factors  Cosmic radiation affects power grids and communication satellites.  Our rocket will travel to 1 mile high. We expect the radiation level to be approximately twice what it would be at sea level.

 Alpha rays are high speed helium nuclei. They are the least penetrating type of radiation. They can be stopped with a single sheet of paper or a few centimeters of air.  Beta rays are high speed electrons. They are more penetrating than alpha rays.  Gamma rays are particles of energy and are the most penetrating. They can penetrate several centimeters of steel or hundreds of meters of air.

 1. Geiger radiation sensor  2. X, Y, and Z accelerometer  3. Pressure Sensor  4. Temperature Sensor  5. AVR® Microcontroller

 The experiment is to measure radiation using a Geiger radiation sensor.  A g-switch will initiate data collection at the time of launch.  The data from the Geiger counter will be digitized and stored in the memory of an embedded computer.

 Radiation events closer than 2 milliseconds will not be recorded. We will be measuring alpha, beta, and gamma radiation.  We will primarily be measuring beta and gamma radiation.  Only the highest energy alpha particles will be detected through our experiments.

 The Geiger Counter used in our payload is the GCK-05 from Images SI, Inc.  It will detect the following radiation:  Alpha particles above 3.0 MeV  Beta particles above 50 KeV  Gamma particles above 7 KeV

 National Semiconductor LM50CIM3 transducer  Reads directly in degrees C (10mV/⁰C)  Nonlinearity is less than 0.8 ⁰C over its temperature range of -40 ⁰C to +125 ⁰C  The accuracy at 25 ⁰C is ±2% of the reading

 ASDX015A25R Honeywell device  Measuring range of 0 to 15 psi  Burst pressure of 30 psi  Operates in temperature ranges from -20⁰C to +105⁰C

 3 Accelerometers:  One 1-axis low range accelerometer and two 2-axis accelerometers  All accelerometer devices have an output full- scale range of 37g  Operational range of -40⁰C to +105⁰C  Maximum rating of 4000g acceleration for any axis

 Before the competition flight in April, our team plans to conduct experiments in the laboratory using known radioactive samples to calibrate the Geiger counter and ensure that it is functioning properly.  It is especially important to calibrate the Geiger counter so that our results will be as accurate as possible.  We must also calibrate the pressure sensor, temperature sensor, and the accelerometers. Experimental Plans

 Personnel hazards include:  Injury to eyes or hands while machining payload parts. All will wear protective eyewear and instruction on preventing injury to the body during work periods will be conducted repeatedly for each phase of the work.  Proper use of hand tools will be explained as needed for each process undertaken.  Instruction on how to solder properly will be given when electrical circuits are being assembled.  No chemicals are used in constructing or operating the payload.

 All components of the science payload and its power source will fit inside a 12 inch coupler with a 3.78 inch inner diameter.  Power switches, LED indicators and connectors to the various computers will be through the middle of the coupler tube wall.  A ring of airframe tubing glued to the middle of the coupler will reinforce this connection area.

 Safely recover all components of the science payload in operable condition  We must gather, retrieve, and store data from the entire flight of the rocket.

Team Members Hunter Patrick Lisa

 To deploy parachutes at desired altitude for a safe recovery process.  To obtain information about the flight regarding the maximum altitude, velocity and acceleration of the rocket.

PerflectFlite – MiniAlt/WD A – Altitude Sensor B – Speaker for Post-flight report C – Port to PC for data transferring D – Non-volatile memory E – Igniter for parachute deployment F – Deployment altitude control

G-Wiz MC2 Pyro output: Fire at Apogee using accelerometer data or barometric data. Programmable fire at low altitude Status LED and speakers to signal readiness at launch and provide flight information after landing. USB connection for data transferring

Team Members Matt G. Meredith Shailer Josh No Report at this Time

Team Members Hunter Shailer

 The flight computer will send a code to the igniters which will then set off the charges at the programmed altitudes.  G-Wiz will also serve as our backup recording Altimeter.

 PerfectFlite miniAltitmeter will be used as our primary altimeter.  It will also serve as our backup flight computer in case the G-Wiz fails.

 Drogue Parachute: ◦ 24” Classic II Sky Angle Parachute ◦ Deploys at Apogee ◦ Weighs 6 ounces  Main Parachute: ◦ 60” Classic II Sky Angle Parachute ◦ Deploys at 800 feet ◦ Weighs 18.2 ounces

Team Members Cortney Nathan Meredith Shailer Hunter

 Westside Elementary School in Searcy, Ar. (conduct a rocket launch with 1 st grade students)  Arkansas Space Grant Consortium (Team does Oral or Poster presentations)  Ouachita Council of Girl Scouts of America in Bradford, Ar. (GSA Troop 76)  Quapaw Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America  Mid-South Rocket Society NAR Secton #550 (NAR section is our mentoring sponsoring section)  Jack Frederick/Raytheon/Rockets – STEM topics  Rocket display in Harding University Library  Do Chapel announcement at Harding University  Put up a poster section up in the Pryor – England Science and Engineering Building in the Main Lobby in April  Matt built portable and fixed launch stands for our rocket team

 We have solicited the support and help of Mr. David Stair (retired NASA model maker )  plan to ask BEI Systems and Space Division to Sponsor us and give us technical support (Little Rock, Ar.)  we have sought to get to know the key scientists and engineers at NASA centers who are involved in rocket research we visit with the rocket scientists and engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center and at University of Alabama at Huntsville in June 2009

We acknowledge the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium, ASGC, for funding this project.