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Design and Launch of a Balloon Re-entry Vehicle for Free Fall Experimentation

Design and Launch of a Balloon Re-entry Vehicle for Free Fall Experimentation. Introductions. Introduction. High altitude airborne developments have presented huge advantages in the US military’s arsenal through: environmental monitoring precision navigation Communication missile warning

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Design and Launch of a Balloon Re-entry Vehicle for Free Fall Experimentation

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  1. Design and Launch of a Balloon Re-entry Vehicle for Free Fall Experimentation

  2. Introductions

  3. Introduction • High altitude airborne developments have presented huge advantages in the US military’s arsenal through: • environmental monitoring • precision navigation • Communication • missile warning • intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms. • However conventional aircraft have a practical upper altitude limit (60000-80000 ft above the sea level) where engine efficiency greatly diminishes. • High-altitude maneuvering lighter-than-air platforms use the principle of buoyancy. These mechanisms became potential platforms for: • ISR, precision navigation • environmental monitoring • communication relays • missile warning, and weapon delivery.

  4. Introduction Cont. • In 2005, the Wright State University High Altitude Balloon Team began its first development of high altitude mechanisms while being funded by the Ohio Space Grant Consortium. • The team, including students, staff and recent graduates, since then has had over 17 successful launches and recoveries over 100,000 feet while being funded by the National Science Foundation. • During these launches, experiments have been conducted containing: • temperature sensors • Cameras • video transmitters/recorders • actuation devices.

  5. Ballute • “Ballute aerodynamic decelerators have been studied since early in space age (1960’s), being proposed for aerocapture in the early 1980’s” (Braun). • The Goodyear Aerospace Corporation coined the term “ballute” (a contraction of “balloon” and “parachute” which the original ballute closely resembles) for their cone balloon decelerator in 1962.

  6. Objective Martian atmospheric entry vehicle for NASA Image: Andrews Space, INC

  7. Design Parameters • Design parameters include but are not limited to: • A maximum weight per payload of six pounds, total of two payloads (per FAA regulations) • An altitude parachute deployment of 65,000 feet • Design of parachute to withstand a drag of 125 mph • GPS, Beacon, and APRS needed to relocate upon re-entry • Accelerometer used to record data on free-fall characteristics • All components function in a low pressure low temperature environment (1 KPa and -70 degrees Celsius

  8. 19 Mile High Club Presentation … 21 Miles ?

  9. Design Considerations - Structural • Light • Stable • Strong • Impact Absorbent • Modular • Aerodynamic

  10. Design Considerations – Structural • Proper Material Selection • Wood • Foam • Carbon Fiber • Proper Shape • Aerodynamic • Smooth All constraints are very related

  11. Design Considerations - Electrical • Tracking • Command • Data Acquisition

  12. Design Considerations – ElectricalTracking Testing • Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS)

  13. Design Considerations – ElectricalCommand

  14. Design Considerations – ElectricalCommand Testing

  15. Design Considerations - Harnessing

  16. Design Considerations – Total Assembly

  17. Final Design • Modular • Tough • Within Specs

  18. Launch 019 • Bullute launched on May 5th from Wright State Lake Campus • Flight Prediction showed a landing near Marysville, OH

  19. Flight Prediction

  20. Flight Prediction

  21. Video of Launch

  22. Results - Electrical • Communication Failure • Possible Reasons • Radio • Antenna Failure • Radio Battery Case Failure

  23. Results - Electrical • Communication Failure • Possible Reasons • GPS Failure

  24. Results - Electrical • Communication Failure • Possible Reasons • Battery Failure

  25. Electrical Load Anaylsis • Performed to determine if batteries died during flight • Calculated total power consumption of all devices • Used V=IR to find current draw on battery pack • Hours battery could operate = Amp hour rating of battery divided by current draw on battery

  26. Electrical Load Anaylsis • Reduced calculated run time by 50% • Accounts for cold operating environment • Main battery pack should have lasted 12.64 hours • Radio battery pack should have lasted 5-6 hours • Batteries likely did not die

  27. Results - Flight • Flight Predictions

  28. Results - Flight • Balloon Performance • Ascent Rate • 562.13 ft/min. • Slower than Ideal • Max Alt. • 111,302 ft • School Altitude Record!

  29. Results - Flight • Destination Possibilities • Flooded Field • Lake (most likely)

  30. Conclusions • Mechanical • Working Modular Design • Electrical • Communication Breakdown • Flight • 111,302 ft • Splashdown! • Most Reasonable Result

  31. Acknoledgements • Thanks to Bruce Rahn • Thanks to our pilot & launch advisor Nick Baines • Thanks to Mark Spoltman & Josh Horn of Hartzell Propeller • Thanks to Eleanor Mantzfor sewing the parachute

  32. Sponsors • The Ohio Space Grant Consortium • Wright State University Curriculum Development Grant • The National Science Foundation

  33. Questions ?

  34. Budget

  35. Gantt Chart

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