ARIZONA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM SYMPOSIUM 19 APRIL, 2008 Pima Community College ASCEND Team NW Campus

Pima Community College ASCEND Team Daniel JerrimInstrumentation Roscoe VerteinDesign/Construction Dr. Denise MeeksFaculty/Mentor Mike SampognaFaculty/Mentor Roscoe 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…?

INESCAPABLE SCIENTIFIC CURIOSITY NASA sponsored, ANSR affiliated And 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) BBattery TCTiming Circuit DCDigital Camera HTRHeater HHOBO SSensor

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 , minutes by foot Just east from Newman Peak

Temp, °C30.2° 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?