OddballsTeam 8

Final Presentation

Jennifer McGraw

Eva

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Jess

ica

(JB) B

rown

Brian R

oth

Stephanie Jalovec

Grant Fritz

December 5, 2007

Mission Overview

• The mission is to determine the intensity of stars visible during the day at 30km using a calibration lamp as a standard.

• The goal is to further develop the idea that a telescope can be used on a balloon satellite platform. A high altitude platform would be less expensive than a space telescope.

– Smaller telescopes can be used to get images of similar quality to large ground-based telescopes.

– With an affordable method of observation, more people will be able to have access to space imaging.

– Balloon satellite would be above the clouds, which can often prevent astronomers on earth from observing.

– Can be serviced between each launch.

RFP compliance

• We complied with every part of our RFP, except for adding the calibration lamp and taking out the HP PhotoSmart camera.– HP Photosmart camera would have put the satellite

over-weight and had no significant contribution to our mission of seeing stars at ~90,000 feet.

– We found that a calibration lamp would be necessary when we tested the CCD camera

• BalloonSat was under weight and financial budget at 796 g and $147.06

Proposal vs. Final Product

• Stabilization was proposed as a mission objective but due to the complexity and weight restrictions, we were not able to pursue it

• Downward-facing digital camera was proposed but not used due to weight and volume restrictions– Timing circuit was not used as a result of not using the digital

camera

• Proposed CCD camera was PC180XS instead of the PC164C that was used for flight

• 2GB memory card was used instead of the 1GB card proposed due to size of video data

BudgetItem Mass (g) Cost ($)

1500 cm2 Foam Core 50 5

Calibration lamp (2 paper clips & fiber optic wand)

3 6

Foam tubing 3 3

1 HOBO data logger 29 49.99

1 Heater kits 34.4 5

2 Switches 6 5

5 9Volt Batteries 225 2

2 washers 5 2

1 aluminum tape 20 25

1 (PC 164) 144 118.85

1 μVideo Recorder-7 74 378.93

1 PVC tube 10 .50

hot glue and glue gun 5 8

Black spray paint 1 5

CCD Power circuit 5 6

Insulation 30 10

Dry Ice --- 27

5 Lithium 9V Batteries --- 60

Total 796 167.06

Zubeneschamali

Results and Analysis• During the mission, our BalloonSat recorded over three-and-a-half hours of video

footage. After viewing our video data, we discovered that several bright objects were visible. In total, 64 frames of celestial objects were found.

Note: Objects are tentatively identified by their position relative to the sun

Zubeneschamali

(2.77 magnitude)

Results (Continued)

The Moon

Given the shape and extended nature of this object, we believed we imaged the moon. Upon confirmation of size and phase of the moon were are confident that we did indeed capture the moon.

10 degree FOV for both video and Stellarium reference

More Objects

Two stars within the 10degree FOV

More Objects

This is an excerpt of the list of objects found.

Over 118 frames were identified and cataloged using this table

Results (continued)

Actual (flight video)Predicted (test video)

Predicted vs. Actual

We predicted that the sky would be much darker than it actually was during flight.

Results (continued)

• Camera oversaturation (ascent)– The CCD camera was directed

towards the sun for the duration of the ascent.

– We calculated that the camera was to be mounted at a 54-degree angle from the horizontal. It was actually mounted at a 36-degree angle.

– The sun was at approximately a 30-degree angle from the horizontal and the field of view of the camera’s lens was measured to be about 10 degrees, meaning that the sun was in the camera’s field of view.

– The camera’s field of view was over-saturated by sunlight, making any other objects invisible

Results (continued)

• Temperature– Minimum temp. (external): -57.37ºC

– Minimum temp. (internal): -5.81ºC

– Max relative humidity: 30.9%

Sample Data

Conclusions

– It is possible to take video of 2nd to 4th magnitude stars and planets using a CCD camera at altitudes of 32,000 to 97,900 feet.

– A high-altitude telescope platform is plausible but not cost effective due to the high light intensity at ~100,000 feet.

Lessons learned

• Time management– Need to stick to the schedule, and plan out everything

on the design.– Actually building the satellite took much more time

than we believed.• Calibration Lamp

– Needed to test in a greater variety of situations• CCD Camera angle

– We thought that the camera was pointed at 54 degrees above horizontal. In actuality, it was pointed at 36 degrees, which is exactly where the sun was during our flight.

Ready for flight

• The 9V batteries for the CCD camera power supply and heater have been replaced.

• The DVR has been reformatted. • Payload should be stored in a safe environment with the

switches on the exterior of the satellite secured in the off position.

• To activate for flight– Place the lithium 3V battery provided between the

leads of the calibration lamp and secure firmly utilizing tape and a clamp.

Message to next semester

• Make sure time is your friend

• Test everything, instead of saying, “This should work…”

• Be a good team member and enjoy what you are doing.

Full message to next semester• Professor Koehler says it over and over again; time can be your friend or your enemy.

Make sure time is your friend. This project can be a lot of fun, but it is also a lot of work. Everyone puts in a lot of time, but not everyone’s satellite works. Put in enough time to make sure everything will work. There is nothing worse than spending 24 hours worth of time on a project and having it not work. It might have only taken you three more hours making sure everything functions properly and will come on when expected and not turn off before you want it to.

• One of the hardest things to deal with is that we all have 20/20 hindsight. After everything is said and done there is always something you could have done better or something you should have thought about. Try and eliminate as much of this as possible before you fly by thinking everything through. Don’t rely on, “this should work”. Ask yourself a lot of tough questions such as, “where am I going to be pointed? What will be there? Where will the sun be? How will I be spinning? How will this affect me?” In short, think about all aspects of what you are trying to do. Work out all of the problems you run into before you fly by simulating anything that might be expected. Mission specific subsystem tests are not only fun and amusing but crucial.

• Teamwork is also essential. A good team can make or break the project. It should be a personal goal of yours to be a great team member. Figure out where you can help and jump in. Don’t be afraid to point out potential problems, the earlier the better. Support others’ ideas, and volunteer your own.

• Most importantly though, enjoy what you are doing. Appreciate the fact that you are launching something to 100,000 ft. It is such a rewarding experience to see the final product fly, especially if you worked really hard on it. Hopefully this is something you are passionate about, in which case, you will love doing this project.