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Team Ramrod Final Presentation. Dan Armel, Michaela Cui, Andrew Grimaldi, Kyle Kemble, Silvia Peckham, Chris Sawyer & Kelsey Whitesell. 6 th December 2007. Mission Overview.
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Team RamrodFinal Presentation Dan Armel, Michaela Cui, Andrew Grimaldi, Kyle Kemble, Silvia Peckham, Chris Sawyer & Kelsey Whitesell 6th December 2007
Mission Overview • Mission Statement: To construct a balloon payload that travels to an altitude of 30km, during ascent the payload will collect data on the intensity of light in both the infrared and visible spectrums. • The data would attempt to discover the levels of light at high altitude to provide proof of concept to the notion of a telescope mounted on a high altitude platform.
RFP Compliance • Construct a payload to test the intensity of infrared light • The financial budget had $70.00 to spare • Took data from the photometer and stored it on board the payload • Implemented the photometer designs provided by Yorke Brown
Final Product Deviation • Only able to fly a photometer designed to collect infrared data. • Due to weight constraints • Mass budget exceeded due to the science payload. • Use of modular sections as opposed to booms and collapsing arm. • Use of provided insulation versus Aspen Aerogel insulation.
Results and Analysis • Sky Brightness at all altitudes found to be at or above . 22672 W/m2-sr • Results limited by Basic Stamp’s code: only checks saturation of integrating capacitor every .1 seconds • Expected lower brightness – on the order of tenths of a second but greater than .1 seconds integration time (between .0251893 and .22672 W/m2-sr) • Possible reasons for higher brightness: • Lower to ground took data-earth emits a lot of IR • Filter allowed in over 50% of light between 610-750 nm • Clouds reflecting IR and scattering visible • Data taken from 0-13,716 m instead of 0 -30,480 m due to lower than anticipated vertical ascent rate
Conclusions: • Sky brightness for wavelengths of 560 nm and above, though mostly IR, at altitudes from 0 and 13,716 m is at or below .22672 W/m^2-sr • Further experimentation at higher altitudes and with a shorter Basic Stamp time integral is necessary to determine exact sky brightness and fluctuations with altitude
Lessons Learned • Time is your enemy • Even when launch is +70 days away • This project requires much more time than anticipated • The simple designs work the most reliably • Do not try to reinvent the wheel • Never play the margins, always allot for more data collection than necessary • Cooperation is key, and everyone has an opinion • Know your strengths and do not try to do what you are not capable of completing
Ready to fly • HOBO: • Wire was severed to take internal temperature data and humidity. • Solution: Procure a new data logger • HP Camera: • No data was taken on flight and the lithium batteries were leaking after removal from housing. • Solution: Replace batteries and run a systems test to insure functionality • Batteries: • Due to use the batteries for the heating system, timing circuit, photometer, and BASIC Stamp need to be replaced. • Solution: Obtain 9 volt (Qty:4), 12 volt (Qty:5)
To Those Who Follow Us • Must meet two times a week • Even in the design phase • Acoms Razor: the simplest solution tends to be the correct one. • A simple design is much easier to implement • Glue and tape weigh much more than you may think. • Metal is not necessarily the best material to use for this project. • Do not try to reinvent the wheel. Be creative, but do not dig yourselves into a hole. • “Don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs, but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.” -Gen. George S. Patton • This will make sense when you pull up to the payloads at 70mph on a dirt road hoping for data. • It is pronounced “Professor KAY • LER” not “Professor COAL•ER” • The only coal you will encounter is in Rocket Boys