Sun Spectro Sat (SSS)Critical Design Review

Dr. Matt SemakMotoaki Honda

Maurice Woods IIISara Gray

25 June 2010

Sun Spectro Sat (sss)The Sun Spectro Sat (SSS) is a high altitude spectrometer that

measures how the spectrum of ambient sunlight varies at different altitudes as the payload ascends into the Earth's atmosphere

  As it records its spectroscopy data during the duration of the flight, the SSS hopes to determine which frequencies are absorbed by the atmosphere, and to what degree the absorption is occurring as a function of altitude.

This concept will be proven by finding missing spectral bands (colors) and showing what gases block those colors.By using this method, it is possible to analyze the atmosphere at different altitudes. 

Expected Results    SSS is expected to show that certain frequencies of the sun's ambient light are absorbed by gasses that exist in the Earth's atmosphere. As the payload gains altitude, the concentration and composition of these gasses should change, and the amount of absorption should change.

Expected Results

• SSS is expected to show that the observable spectrum of the sun is more complete

• in• in the high atmosphere than it is on the Earth's

surface.• The film will show the Fraunhofer lines as shown

below.• The Fraunhofer lines can be used to determine

the chemical make-up of the atmosphere.

Benefits

• The information found by the SSS payload will be shared on the FSI website and presented to a large group of people.

• With the information found the project will show what elements are in the atmosphere and at what elevation those elements can be found.

• Having a better understanding of the composition of our atmosphere provides great opportunities for scientists (such as meteorologists) to conduct atmospheric research

Benefits

• Data obtained by the SSS flight can be compared to similar research conducted in the past to see how the atmosphere has changed   

• NASA may also be interested in this project,  as a similar probe could be launched to extraterrestrial planets and conduct research on the make-up of a martian atmosphere. This would be in their best interest, since SSS is small and light.

Optical Schematic

Subsystems

• Concave Parabolic reflector and Convex mirror 

• Spectrometer

• Video camerao Powered by its own battery o Store data in an SD card

• Heater o powered by independent battery system

SubsystemParabolic reflector and Convex mirror

• Take• Reflects sunlight in to the spectrometer system

o Parabolic reflector (12" diameter)o Convex mirror (2" diameter)

SubsystemSpectrometer

• Has up to one nano meter precision• Shows• Displays the sun's visible spectrum, complete with

Fraunhofer lines• Spectrum of interest ranges from 390nm to 660nm

Subsystem

Video camera

• High resolution video camera• Requires at least 2 hours of video data capacity 

• Video camera requires heater to function properly• Powered by independent battery system 

Heater

Parts List

Parts Company Model

Project STAR Spectrometer Ward's Natural Science 25 V 5005

Stick on Convex Mirror Drill Spot 12004

Parabolic Mirror Edmund's Scientific's Scientifics

30538753

Testing

• June 30-o test parabolic mirror, convex mirror, and

spectrometer after receiving partso find best geometrical design

• July 5-o test system with camera

find best way to focus spectrum ex. lenses, mirror

• July 12-o Start assembly of payload

Management

Head AdviserDr. Matt Semak

Project AdviserMotoaki Honda

Maurice Woods III

Project ManagerManagerSara Gray

Conclusions

    Currently, the SSS is still in it's preliminary design stage, due to a delayed start in UNC's involvement in the Summer DemoSAT launch. However, what has been accomplished has yielded promising expectations for a successful payload design. 

    Construction and further design revisions are occurring on a regular basis, as UNC expects achieve an "on-schedule" status within the next week