Page 2Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF MEAP/P-BACE launch and flight Martin Wieser Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna, Sweden and the MEAP/P-BACE team

Page 3Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Wanted: Payload ➲ October 2007, Esrange: Test of a circumpolar balloon flight ➲ Scientific payload needed ➲ km altitude ➲ 100kg ➲ Ready for launch Summer 2008

Page 4Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF MEAP Mars Environment Analogue Platform A stratospheric balloon platform for technology tests ➲ Earth stratosphere ≈ Mars atmosphere at surface ➲ Earth stratosphere is a natural test environment for instruments for Martian landers ➲ Use long duration stratospheric balloon flight for extended tests 0 km35 km=

Page 5Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF P-BACE Polar - Balloon Atmospheric Composition Experiment A high resolution neutral gas mass spectrometer ➲ Built by University of Bern and Swedish Institute of Space Physics ➲ Mass spectrometer for planetary missions ➲ Test fly the instrument design in a representative environment and under realistic conditions ➲ Measure atmospheric composition with high mass resolution

Page 6Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF MEAP/P-BACE collaboration D. Abplanalp, P. Wurz University of Bern, Switzerland PI-Institution, P-BACE hardware M. Wieser, L. Kalla Institutet för rymdfysik P-BACE software, communication link, logistics T. Hedqvist Esrange Space Center Balloon and platform

Page 7Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF P-BACE Sensor ➲ Neutral gas mass spectrometer of reflectron time-of-flight type with own vacuum system ➲ Mass resolution m/dm >= 1000 ➲ Mass range: amu/q ➲ One full mass spectrum every 65 seconds ➲ 6-7 orders of magnitude dynamic range (in 65 seconds)‏ ➲ Sensor mass: 2kg

Page 8Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF P-BACE instrument ➲ P-BACE sensor head ➲ Linux based control computer ➲ Commercial data acquisition board used for front end electronics and data recording ➲ Two 2400bps Iridium satellite links for telemetry and commanding ➲ Two GPS receivers ➲ Two redundant 16GByte solid state disks, recovered after landing ➲ Auxiliary sensors for pressure and temperature ➲ 90 kg ➲ 150W ➲ Pressurized vessel 73cm x 71cm x 56cm

Page 9Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Semicircular flight ➲ ~14 days ➲ Recovery in Sweden ➲ ~5 days ➲ Recovery in Canada

Page 10Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF The balloon 11 Million cft ~ m3 Helium 200 m Gondola: ~400kg, (total susp. weight on balloon ~900kg)‏ Solar arrays on all 4 sides, > 200W on illuminated side Scientific payload: 90kg, 150W

Page 11Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF P-BACE on MEAP 3.7m boomGas inlet with microfilter Iridium & GPS Satellites Solar arrays Platform control Power distribution Batteries Redundant Iridium & GPS antennas P-BACE pressure vessel Gas feeding pump

Page 12Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Integrated Gondola ➲ GPS and Iridium antennas ➲ Payload container ➲ P-BACE gas inlet boom ➲ Crash pads ➲ Solar pannels ➲ Ballast

Page 13Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Operations

Page 14Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Waiting for launch ➲ Launch window opened 9. June ➲ Several launch attempts but always bad weather ➲ In mean time: Testing, testing, testing... Improving procedures... A lot of coffee ➲ Webcam (attempt.m2v) Webcam

Page 15Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF 28. June :07 UTC Launch

Page 16Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Launch Preparations

Page 17Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Filling

Page 18Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Launch movies ➲ Webcam (webcamlaunch.avi) Webcam ➲ Launch movie 1 (launch_still_images.avi) Launch movie 1 ➲ Launch movie 2 (MVI_2340_rot.avi) Launch movie 2

Page 19Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Seen by many eyes... Image: Stefan Bühler Image: MST radar data Launch 05:07 UTC

Page 20Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF MEAP/P-BACE flight path ➲ Launched from Esrange, Sweden on June 28 ➲ Semicircular flight following the summer polar vortex ➲ 116 hours flight time ➲ 5818 km distance ➲ Altitude km ➲ Landed in Canada, 135km from Umingmaktok, on July 3. Background image: NASA,

Page 21Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Altitude profile

Page 22Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Commanding and telemetry IRF-K GSE Iridium Modem A + B Modem GPS A + B Iridium Gateway Network PTSN Storage Storage A + B P-BACE Sensor Onboard computer IRF Webserver P-BACE Ground segment Short burst data (like SMS)‏ 2400 bps Iridium satellite network

Page 23Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF P-BACE data example H2H2 N2N2 Ar N He Quick look data: Zoom in: Raw data No background subtracted Dynamic range: 6-7 orders of magnitude Mass range: amu/q, (1-50 shown)‏

Page 24Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Termination ➲ Termination movie (balloon_termination.flv, Parachute test flight for Mars Science Lander /JPL, Termination movie Image: Google

Page 25Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF 3. July :10 UTC Landing

Page 26Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Touchdown Image: CSBF Image: Google MEAP on parachute as seen from recovery aircraft moments before touchdown. Google shows many lakes.... Image: CSBF Lucky landing on dry land...

Page 27Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF MEAP back on ground MEAP with crashed solar panels (as planned) but otherwise completely intact. P-BACE was still recording GPS data! MEAP with remainder of flight train and recovery helicopter in background

Page 28Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Umingmaktok, Nunavut MEAP gondola arrives (movie) (uming.mpg)movie Umingmaktok airfield 135km to Umingmaktok Image: Google CSBF recovery crew

Page 29Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Solid state disk recovery ➲ Instrument was found in very good condition ➲ Both disks were taken out of the instrument and data copied successfully ➲ Instrument prepared for transport by air

Page 30Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Development timeline FlightJune 28 - July 3, 2008 Flight rehearsal, two launch attemptsDuring June 2008 Integration with MEAP, final software tests Begin June 2008 Shipping to Esrange, SwedenLate Mai 2008 Test & CalibrationApril - Mai 2008 Integration of P-BACEApril 2008 Onboard and ground software development March 2008 P-BACE development + manufacturingNovember March 2008 Decision to fly P-BACE on MEAPNovember 2007

Page 31Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Summary ➲ Demonstrated fast development process ➲ Very successful flight of MEAP/P-BACE ➲ All objectives fulfilled ➲ Valuable expertise gained by all involved parties ➲ Instrument back in Bern for refurbishment and post-calibration ➲ Data analysis in progress

Launch 22. October 2008

Page 34Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Supplementary slides

Page 35Kiruna, 9. Oct 2008, M. Wieser, IRF Atmospheric composition Average measured 2000 at Mauna Loa Hawaii, The planetary scientists companion