Proprietary BalloonWinds Update --Straight to Launch-- James M. Ryan University of New Hampshire

Proprietary BalloonWinds Instrument Overview Size: 8’x8’x12’ Gondola Mass: 6000 lbs Power Requirements: 1300 W Power System: 26 Lithium-Ion Batteries Thermal Management: Ice and Electric Heaters Optical Systems: Diode-Pumped Nd:YAG ½-meter Telescope Direct-Detection Receivers (2)

Proprietary Gondola and Control

Proprietary 2007 TVAC Failure

Proprietary Chamber Reviews Laser Chamber Material 6061-T6 Aluminum Volume (empty)10 cubic feet Design Pressure18 psig Test Pressure (Hydrostatic)28 psig Assembly Test Pressure (Pneumatic) 22.5 psig (1.5  MEOP) Interferometer Chamber Material 304L Stainless Steel Volume14 cubic feet Design Pressure16.5 psig Assembly Test Pressure (Pneumatic)22.5 psig (1.5  MEOP)

Proprietary Chamber Reviews (cont.) Coolant Tank Material 304L Stainless Steel Volume (empty)18 cubic feet Design Pressure18.75 psig Test Pressure (Hydrostatic)28 psig Assembly Test Pressure (Pneumatic) 22.5 psig (1.5  MEOP) Electronics Chamber Material 304L Stainless Steel Volume (empty)30 cubic feet Design Pressure18.75 psig Test Pressure (Hydrostatic)28 psig Assembly Test Pressure (Pneumatic)22.5 psig (1.5  MEOP)

Proprietary Schedule Delay AFRL postponed environmental tests –Schedule slip by the preceding instrument –Fixed schedule for the succeeding instrument –Test window closed 6-month slip in launch schedule with rescheduled test date TBD

Proprietary Rescheduling Process 2-week window emerged in July-August New TVAC Facility cleanliness requirements Assessment began –Flowdown from new requirements –Risk & risk reduction –Impact of risk-mitigation –Environmental test objectives

Proprietary TVAC Facility Large investment in facility for two optical payloads –Class-100 inside TVAC chamber –Class-100 outside TVAC chamber –Select material list No particulates No liquids or volatiles No silicone-based materials

Proprietary Flowdown from New Requirements Meticulous cleaning of gondola Prepare comprehensive material list Removal or encapsulation of forbidden materials –Vacuum grease –Coolant –Insulation –Wood

Proprietary Risk & Risk Reduction Facility contamination was primary risk Risk reduction measures included –Bagging gondola –Reduced altitude simulation –Reduced temperature range (tropopause) –All support equipment located outside facility No schedule or admittance guarantee after completion of all known requirements

Proprietary Impact of Risk-Mitigation Gondola’s thermal properties different from flight configuration T-P profile not representative of flight profile Consumable state and burn rate not representative of flight Limited to one cycle. 2 nd cycle logistically impractical.

Proprietary Environmental Test Objectives 1.Verification of thermal system operation Heating/cooling capacities (duty cycles) System performance (temperatures vs set points) Time required to equilibrate at final altitude 2.Revelation of impacts on opto-mechanical and detector systems Laser: Power, seeding, frequency tuning… Telescope: Motor control of focus adjustment… Interferometer: Alignment, stability, motor control… Detectors: Chip temperature, Gain, read noise…

Proprietary Environmental Test Objectives (cont.) 3.Estimation of Mission Duration Battery power burn rate & “knee” shape Coolant system capacity & “knee” shape Pressure chamber leak rates All impacted by risk mitigation efforts Test no longer matched with objectives

Proprietary Straight to Launch The new facility requirements –Increased resource requirements –Increased associated risk –Decreased benefit of test –Hindered original test objectives Environmental tests were cancelled Environmental test objectives rolled into flight objectives

Proprietary Added Flight Objectives Procedures & Impacts 1.Verification of thermal system operation Monitor temperatures and heating/cooling duty cycles Modify temperature set points to counteract temperature and/or duty cycle issues Raw data will be unusable until thermal stead-state is attained and the interferometer is aligned

Proprietary Added Flight Objectives Procedures & Impacts 2.Revelation of impacts on opto-mechanical and detector systems Monitor laser power, spectral widths, optical transmissions, photometric return, etc Remote adjustments performed to reduce the impact Raw data black-outs will occur during such adjustments

Proprietary Added Flight Objectives Procedures & Impacts 3.Estimation of Mission Duration Capacity for an 8-hour mission will be assumed Monitor battery bus voltage, coolant temperature and chamber pressures Cut-down will be initiated if the following value estimates are reached Bus voltage limit- 25V Output manifold temperature- 4C Chamber pressure limit- 0.8 atm

Proprietary Advantages of Not Testing Schedule contingency Released resources Reduced risk of mishandling

Proprietary Revised BalloonWinds Schedule ActivityDate Arrive at Holloman17 Sept 08 First Launch8 Oct 08 Second Launch5 Nov 08 Return to UNH21 Nov 08 Report31 Mar 09

Proprietary Additional

Proprietary Laser Chamber Pre-Failure Cross-supports 29  47  ½-inch lid (0.35-inch eff. thickness)

Proprietary Laser Chamber Post-Failure I Cross-supports Lid bottom Secondary fractures from gondola impact Thermal insulation (yellow)

Proprietary Laser Chamber Post-Failure II Cross-support Lid bottom Secondary fractures from pipe interference Fibertek Laser

Proprietary Laser Chamber Post-Failure III Reverse angle showing the disorder

Proprietary Laser Chamber Post-Failure IV Fragments at the bottom of the thermal-vacuum chamber