Team icarus Final Project Presentation AJ Knapp, Kyle Marek-Spartz, Lucas Chowen, Max Sjöberg, Mike Hill AEM 1905 – Nov. 24 th 2009

Mission Overview

Optical Experiment Ballooning as a cost effective alternative for Day-time astronomy Video camera + shots to compare from the ground Block cameras direct view of sun to attempt capture of coronal features Inertial Measurement Unit IMU Borrowed from Augsburg Measures movement and rotational inertia Test flight for the engineering of the unit

Mission Overview (cont.) Predictions Optics Attempt to show that ballooning is a cost effective alternative Able to get good quality images of the sun Magnetometer Altitude has a lot/a little/no substantial impact on the magnetic field Tracking and analyzing those, if any, changes

Team Organization

Team Organization: AJ Knapp Writing Introduction, Payload Design Oral Presentation Flight Readiness Review Payload Build Box Build Camera Experiment Launch Day Photographer

Team Organization: Kyle Marek-Spartz Writing Project Management, Payload Photos Oral Presentation Conceptual Design Review Payload Build Photographer IMU Launch Day Prediction/Tracking Assistant

Team Organization: Lucas Chowen Writing Mission Overview, Expected Science Results Payload Build Weather Station Build HOBO (Payload “Health” Monitoring) Launch Day Balloon Filling and Release assistant

Team Organization: Mike Hill Writing Launch and Recovery, Conclusions Oral Presentation Conceptual Design Review Payload Build Flight Computer Programmer Launch Day Recovery Specialist

Team Organization: Max Sjöberg Writing Project Budgets, Test Plan and Results Oral Presentations Flight Readiness Review Payload Build Team Lead Launch Day Payload/Stack Handling Specialist

Design Overview

Design Overview: Material White Foam Core w/ Black Foam cushion Flip Video Camera Inertial Measurement Unit Includes magnetometer Strapping Tape Hinge Epoxy and Hot glue Heater circuit Power Supplies HOBO Flight computer Weather Station

Design Overview: Layout ORIGINAL DESIGN LAYOUT A: Flight Computer B: Heater C: Camera (changed to FLIP Video) D: Batteries E: Battery F: HOBO G: Magnetometer (changed to IMU)

Design Overview: Conceptual Diagram Structure Flight Computer Weather Station HOBO Temperature Sensor Flip HD Video Inertial Measurement Unit Data Logger Accelerometers + Gyrometers Heater Power

Design Overview: Construction Finished Box w/ no components

Design Overview: Construction Components inside payload Attachment of Camera and Heater Heater activation switch

Design Overview: Construction

Design Overview: Programming IMU Pre-programmed Read sensor data 10 times / sec Write to data logger Flight Computer Read sensor data every 15 seconds Write to memory

Design Overview: Budgets ITEMSCOST (in USD)MASS (in Kg) White Foam Core Miscellaneous (tape, etc) Heater Circuit Flight Computer Weather Station Compass Module Flip Video Camera HOBO Battery: Heater Battery: Flight Computer TOTALS DOES NOT INCLUDE IMU MASS

Design Overview: Art

Payload Pre-flight Testing

Testing Drop Box Results were good Sturdy construction Circuit tests Connections were good, except one That connection was fixed by Dr. Flaten Heater Test Functions Camera Test Operational IMU Tested data recording capabilities Passed

Additional Testing Cold soak test Made sure that payload can handle extreme temperature Passed Day-in-the-life Weather test Attempt to alter weather station data to test function Passed Yank Test Make sure that the box stays together Passed

Results of Testing Our Payload was Ready to Go! (w/ few modifications)

Escape of the Zombicarus: … or Flight Day

Pre-Flight Checks

Filling the Balloon

Release

Flight Day Status of the payload after the recovery was basically the same. Minor scratches from the tree landing. Landed roughly feet in the air in a tree. Retrieved with bolo. Payload was still securely sealed and all the instruments seemed to be working inside. Disconnected all batteries and turned off IMU

Science Results

Expected Science Results HOBO + Weather Station (WS) Sensors: Internal temperature (HOBO) External temperature (HOBO + WS) Relative Humidity (HOBO) Pressure (WS) These sensors will record data similar to Paul Verhage’s

Paul Verhage’s HOBO + WS data

Expected Science Results Optical Experiment Solar Observation Our hypothesis is : It will not be cost effective It may produce quality images of the sun that may be difficult to recreate on ground Whether or not we get a good glimpse of the sun is arguable IMU Acceleration and movement tracking test Our hypothesis: After launch there will be little change Post-burst will be violent, and we will be able to track it through the IMU

In-Flight

Conclusions External Temperature vs. Time Temperature dropped to about -50 degrees Celsius until about the 50 minute mark, then the payload entered part of the atmosphere where it started heating up to about -15 degrees Celsius, which at that point was close to burst, and following the burst the temperature rapidly fell to the lowest of the flight of -55 degrees Celsius.

Conclusions Relative Humidity vs. Altitude According the graph, as altitude increased, humidity decreased, to as low at 5% around the 80,000 foot mark. Pressure vs. Altitude As altitude increases the pressure decreases Solar Observation: Did not exactly work, need a better way of blocking out the sun. IMU results will come later

Conclusions Change anything about payload to fly again? Yes, better strategy to block out the sun with our HD video camera to get better results. Project Successes: Pumpkin design, which ultimately boosts morale of the team, which in turn makes them happy, thus, makes them work better. Other successes: Payload stayed intact, all instruments functioned properly. Final Project Successfulness: Relatively successful

Words of Wisdom Don’t drink too much water on the chase, you never know when you are going to stop. Think BIG If you assume, you make an a** out of “u” and “me” If you think it might be cold, then it probably will be

Thank You to the Following Thanks to the rest of our class for providing a forum for bouncing around ideas Thanks to our TAs, Amy and Phillip for assisting the construction Thanks to Chris from Augsburg for helping with the IMU Thanks to Professor Flaten for guiding us during these past few months