1. NASA Near-Space Satellite EE 486C
Jad Lutfi
Rob Hough
Rob Conant
Andrew Prosory
Andrew Prosory

2. Our Project Sponsor & Faculty Advisor
Dr. Barry Lutz
NAU/NASA Space Grant Program Director
Kathleen Stigmon
NAU/NASA Space Grant Administrative Assistant
Faculty Technical Advisor
Dr. Niranjan Venkatraman
NAU Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering
Andrew Prosory

3. Presentation Overview
Project Overview
Design
Results
Budget
Lessons Learned
Recommendations
Andrew Prosory

4. Problem Statement
The NAU/NASA Space Grant Administration has requested the design, launch, and retrieval of a small payload on a high-altitude weather balloon.
The payload satellite will be designed to:
Capture Digital Images over 3 hour period
Transmit GPS (Global Positioning System) Location wirelessly during flight
Measure:
Pressure
Internal Temperature
G-Force Load On Package
Andrew Prosory

5. System Conceptual Diagram
(Source: Montana Space Grant Consortium)
Andrew Prosory

6. Project Benefits & Applications
Lots of high quality images
Payload Tracking
Discover G-Force Load on payload
(Source: Medgar Evers College)
Andrew Prosory

7. Overall Design Project broken up into four major subsystems Sensors
Wireless GPS Telemetry
Payload Package
Digital Imaging
Jad Lutfi

8. Sensor Subsystem 4 Channel Data Logger 9V Supply G-Force Sensor Logs:
Temperature, Pressure
Vertical/Horizontal Peak Accelerations
Rob Hough
Jad Lutfi 8

9. Wireless GPS Telemetry Subsystem
Subsystem broken up into two parts
Onboard Satellite Telemetry
Transmit Payload location
Ground Station Telemetry
Receives and Maps Payload location
Jad Lutfi

10. Onboard Satellite Telemetry
Radio Transmitter
GPS Receiver
Encoder
9V Supply
Rob Hough
Jad Lutfi 10

11. Global Positioning System
Garmin® GPS 35 TracPak
Tracks above 60,000 ft
Weighs .275 pounds
Operation Temperature
-30°C to 85°C
(Source: Garmin)
Jad Lutfi

12. Data Encoder: TinyTrak3+
Data Rate:
1200 bps, 300 bps
Power:
7-35 Volts DC
Weight:
0.2 lb
Operating Mode:
Modem
(Source: Byonics)
Jad Lutfi

13. Radio Transmitter Design Tradeoffs
Yeasu
Kenwood
Weight:
132 Grams
340 Grams
Case Size:
1.9 x 3.2 x 0.9 inches
2.25 x 4.75 x 1.5 inches
Transmit Power Usage
4.8 Amp-Hours
12.8 Amp-Hours
RF Power Output:
1.5 W (internal 144MHz)
5 W (internal
144MHz)
Jad Lutfi

14. On Board Antenna ¼ Wave Ground Plane Antenna
Frequency:
144 MHZ
Dimensions:
A: 19-5/16 inches
B&C/D&E:
20-3/16 inches
Weight:
0.75 lb
Jad Lutfi

15. Ground Station Telemetry
Receiver Antenna
Mapping Laptop
Tri-Band Receiver
Decoder
Rob Hough
Jad Lutfi 15

16. Payload Package Subsystem
6.5” x 6.5” x 6.5” cube
Package Constructed with:
Mat Board
Polyethylene foam
Spray foam
Jad Lutfi

17. Digital Imaging Subsystem
Casio EX-Z50
5 Mega Pixels
4 Hour Battery Life
Capable of taking 880 pictures (2 Gig Memory Card)
Weighs only .33 lbs
555 timer/actuator takes pictures every 15 seconds
(Source: Casio)
(Source: Hobby Shop Center)
Jad Lutfi

18. Testing Digital Imaging Subsystem Tests Wireless GPS Telemetry
Freezer Test with no Insulation
Turned off after 66 minutes at a temperature below 0° Celsius
Endurance Test at Room Temperature
Memory card failure at 115 minutes
Wireless GPS Telemetry
Tracked Package
Payload Package
Freezer Test
Rob Hough

19. Requirements vs. Results
Specification
Achieved
Size of the container
12’’ x 12’’ x 12’’
6.5’’ x 6.5’’ x 6.5’’
Weight of the container
2-3 pounds
2.9 pounds
Op./Sensor Range
Down to -40° F
Not Available
Battery Life
3 Hours
4+ hours
Pressure Range
0-1 Bar
Images/Minute 1
2-4
Image Resolution
3 MP
5 MP
Budget
$2400
$1900
Image Storage
>180 Images
458
Ready-By Date
April 29 (May 13th)
April 22
Altitude Range
0-100,000’
0-Technical limits(>100k’)
Data Correlation
>10 mins
>1 second
Rob Hough

20. Results Balloon Launch Cancelled
Balloon broke free
Tested entire system on drive back to Flagstaff
Rob Hough

21. Digital Camera Expected Vs Actual Results
Expected Image
Drive Home
after Cancelled Launch
Digital Camera took 458 pictures over 2 hour period
Camera error at 1Gb of data
Rob Hough

22. GPS Telemetry Results
South Phoenix Driving
Rob Hough

23. Results from Sensors
Rob Hough

24. Horizontal Acceleration Data
Rob Hough

25. Delivering to Client Future Launch Images and Data
Foundation for Future Teams to build on
Time Triggered Digital Camera
Wireless Tracking System
G Force Measuring Sensor
Improved Thermal Capabilities
Future Launch Images and Data
Rob Conant

26. Budget Allocated: $2,400 Budget Spent: $1,860.30
Remaining Budget: $539.70
Rob Conant

27. Budget Subsystems Expense Amount Imaging $491.87 Sensors $506.98
Wireless
$732.16
Package
$17.66
Batteries
$55.73
Misc.
$55.90
Total
$1,860.30
Rob Conant

28. Fall Project Phases Requirements and Research Design Proposal
Met with Sponsor
Developed Specific Project Requirements For Each Subsystem – Imaging, Sensors, Packaging, Tracking
Investigated Partial Solutions
Design Proposal
Researched Specific Solution
Built Simple Payload - Practiced Launch
Verified of Design with Sponsor
Rob Conant

29. Spring Project Phases Detailed Design: Integration and Testing:
Determined Specific Subsystem Specifications
Added Wireless Transmission Requirements
Delivered Schematics and Circuit Diagrams
Ordered Subsystem Parts
Created Webpage
Integration and Testing:
Modified Detailed Designs
Built Second Satellite Package
Completed Each Subsystem
Attended Launch
Will Retry Launch
Rob Conant

30. Time Spent in Weeks (40 hour blocks)
Time Required
Project Area
Time Spent in Weeks (40 hour blocks)
Research and Requirements:
3.2
Design Proposal:
4.2
Detailed Design:
4.4
Integration and Testing:
6.4
Total 40 hour Weeks
18.2
Rob Conant

31. Knowledge Gained Design Process Details Personal Time Management
Team Delegation
Technical
Digital Imaging
Modifying Cameras
Telemetry Systems
Antennas
Encoding & Decoding data
Accelerometer Customization
Peak Detection
I/O Voltage Scaling
Rob Conant

32. Recommendations for Future Work
Transmit Camera Images During Flight
Payload Package Easier to Seal and Reopen
Easier to Turn On Power
Antenna Weight
Lighter Materials
Shorter Antenna
70cm ( MHz) Amateur Radio
Rob Conant

33. Questions/Comments Poster Session Project Webpage Launch Movie
When: Friday at 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where: Du Bois Center, 2nd Floor
Project Webpage
Launch Movie