SSOL: Radio Telescope Industrial Review Panel Presentation

1. SSOL: Radio TelescopeIndustrial Review Panel Presentation Team Ongo-02c December 7th, 2005 Client: Iowa Space Grant Consortium Advisor: Dr. Basart

2. Second Semester Students: Temur Safdar (EE) Eric Schares (EE) Nicholas Zeitler (CprE) First Semester Students: Matt Fischer (CprE) LaTasha Mabry (EE) Ankur Tandon (CprE) Eng. 466 Students Parikshit Advani (CprE) Ron Charles (ME) Matt Moore (ME) Team Members Fick Observatory

3. Presentation Outline • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary Radio Telescope

4. List of Definitions • DAQ: Data acquisition • LNA: Low noise amplifier Amplifies radio signal from the source to a level great enough to be used in processing • Azimuth: The measurement of the horizontal movement of the dish. • Elevation: The measurement of the vertical movement of the dish.

5. List of Definitions Cont… • Right ascension: The distance to a point on the celestial sphere, measured eastward from the vernal equinox along the celestial equator to the hour circle of the point and expressed in hours, minutes and seconds (where one hour of right ascension corresponds to 15° of celestial longitude). • Declination: The angular distance to a point on a celestial sphere, measured north or south from the celestial equator. Right Ascension Declination

6. Acknowledgments • Financial support: • Iowa Space Grant Consortium • Professors John Lamont and Ralph Patterson III • Advising: • Dr. John P. Basart

7. Problem Statement • Conversion of satellite tracking equipment into a radio telescope at the Fick Observatory in Boone, IA • Major mechanical work completed • Majority of the electrical systems completed • Most of the software systems completed for full operation

8. Operating Environment • Amplification system is to be placed outdoor where temperatures ranges from -20°F to 110°F with possibility of snow, ice and strong wind • Vulnerability to lightning which could lead to signal interference and equipment damage • Remaining part of the system will be held indoors at regular room temperature

9. Intended Users: Faculty research in astronomy Astronomy students Intended Uses: Radio mapping of the sky at frequency around 1420 MHz Tracking celestial objects Data collection Mapping celestial objects Intended Users and Uses

10. End Product Description 408 MHz 10e9 MHz 1420 MHz A radio telescope to be used by the ISU community that can accurately track & record data from celestial objects withremote operation capabilities.

11. Ankur Tandon • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

12. Assumptions: 1420 MHz is an appropriate frequency for the radio telescope. Dish will pick up relevant signals Motors and gearboxes are capable of precise movement Assumptions & Limitations

13. Assumptions & Limitations Limitations: • Dish unable to be positioned to true north • Positioning accuracy dependant on motors and gears • Radio sources less than 2.5 degrees apart appear as one source due to beam width of dish • Weather conditions limit the work that can be done on the exterior components of the dish

14. LaTasha Mabry • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

15. Previous Accomplishments • Limit switches were installed to prevent the dish from exceeding its limits • The original dish was designed to operate at a different frequency than 1420 MHz. A new waveguide and feed horn was designed and assembled. • Back end receiver shipped to the manufacturer for repairs and reinstalled • Remote access, which allows users to operate the dish remotely

16. Previous Accomplishments Cont.. • Motor control, tracking, and calibration software written in LabVIEW. • Feedback system uses potentiometer to measure in each axis of motion. • Data acquisition software written in LabVIEW. • 50-pin connector installation to connect the rest of the system to the computer.

17. Present Accomplishments • Anemometer/weather station installed • Separate webcams installed to monitor dish and control panel • Replaced LEDs in the motor control box front panel • Receiver front end tested and repaired • Raster scan program completed

18. Present Accomplishment Cont… • Diagnosed elevation positioning sensor • Analyzed pointing errors due to wind loading • Gearbox lubrication to prevent deterioration • Exact blind spots of dish discovered

19. Future Required Activities • Design a power fault recovery system • Automate the motor control box power • Test new software with repaired receiver front and back ends • Combine all software into a web-based user interface • Upgrade to high-speed internet connection • Conduct complete system test

20. Eric Schares • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Electrical • Mechanical • Software • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

21. Hardware Components Motor Control Box • Houses circuitry needed to run the positioning system through control room computer Receiver system • Receives data from celestial objects • In need of repair this semester Webcams • Allows remote monitoring of the dish system and observatory Weather Station • Provides live weather conditions at observatory • Temperature, wind speed, humidity, barometric pressure

22. Hardware ComponentsMotor Control Box Front Panel

23. Hardware ComponentsMotor Control Box

24. Hardware ComponentsElevation Potentiometer • Located in upper junction box at the elevation axis of rotation. • Was not giving feed back for proper elevation positions. • Actions taken • Check the potentiometer for obvious mechanical failure. • Check the potentiometer for proper varying resistance. • Check all wiring connections. • It was determined that all parts are working correctly and wiring connections are correct on the dish. The problem is in the wiring into the building.

25. Support ComponentsWeb Cameras Dish • Allows remote monitoring of dish and surroundings • Safety issues, including human occupation and possible obstructions Logitech Fusion

26. Support ComponentsWeb Cameras Control Panel • Allows remote monitoring of control panel • Allows user to see state of LEDs • Allows user to see position of power switch Logitech Communicate STX

27. Allows to accurately monitor weather conditions Displays current temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, wind speed, and rainfall Allows for proper use of the dish Support ComponentsWeather Station

28. Temur Safdar • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Electrical • Mechanical • Software • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

29. Repairs and RevisionsFront-end • Located on the tower, to receive 1420 MHzsignals from the celestial objects. • Contains: • LNA (low noise amplifier) • Coaxial switch • Noise source • Directional coupler • 1.42 GHz down-converter • Coaxial cable • Sends a converted signal of 70 MHz to the back- end of the receiver.

30. Repairs and RevisionsFront-end Cont… • Every component was tested, to make sure the front-end is in a working condition. • A fault in the circuit of 1420 MHzdown-converter was found, with two capacitors not connected together, which was fixed. • A 1420 MHz signal was input into the front-end of the receiver and a 70 MHz signal was received, which proved the proper functionality of all of the front-end components.

31. Repairs and RevisionsBack-end • After successfully testing the front-end of the receiver system, the back-end of the receiver was tested. • The back-end of the receiver was brought back to the SSOL laboratory for testing and troubleshooting. • All the ICs in the backend were tested, which were in a working condition. • A 70 MHz signal was input to the backend of the receiver and a signal was observed. • Work is still needed for the backend to properly respond to the commands sent by the computer.

32. Ron Charles • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Electrical • Mechanical • Software • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

33. Mechanical Issues Wind-Loading Objectives • Determine expected wind-loads and resulting pointing errors • Compare with measured pointing errors for normal operation of the dish • Use the model to predict the effects and errors under abnormal (high wind speed) conditions

34. Mechanical Issues Wind-Loading Cont… Methods Considered • Wind tunnel testing using scale model or full scale section • Mounting load sensors or strain gauges on the dish surface • Theoretical Calculations Method Used • Theoretical Calculations

35. Mechanical Issues Wind-Loading Cont… Types of wind-loading considered • Static: Wind-loads applied while the dish is stationary • Dynamic: Wind-loads applied when the dish is in motion, as in when tracking a satellite

36. Mechanical Issues Wind-Loading Cont… Completed Tasks • Determined wind-loading for a range of wind speeds and angles incident on the dish surface and their associated pointing errors Tasks to be completed • Obtain actual pointing differences under normal operating conditions for comparison • Create a model to determine the correction factors to be applied under moderately abnormal conditions Problems encountered • Not yet able to collect dish position data

37. Mechanical Issues Maintenance Lubrication Applied • multi-purpose grease to gears

38. Mechanical Issues Maintenance Cont… Grease was applied to: • Elevation axis of rotation • Azimuth gear box • Azimuth driving gear • Elevation driving gear housing

39. Parikshit Advani • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Electrical • Mechanical • Software • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

40. SoftwareRequirements • Higher-level requirement • Raster scan program • Scan a 2D array of data points • Generate graphical results

41. SoftwareRequirements Cont… • Move the dish to a desired location • Feedback voltages must be calibrated to yield actual dish position (degrees) • Measure and record the signal intensity from the dish • Signal must be calibrated from intensity reading to W/m2 • Perform dish position calibration • Measure feedback voltages at dish limits • Feedback voltage is linearly proportional to dish position • Convert celestial coordinates to absolute coordinates • Depends on time of day • Predict when a coordinate is visible

42. SoftwareApproach Overall Module Diagram

43. Matt Fischer • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Electrical • Mechanical • Software • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary

44. SoftwareTechnology LabVIEW platform chosen • Supports modular approach • Integrated, real-time documentation • Extensive libraries included • Built-in support for remote access Bottom-up approach • Basic modules first (I/O) • Build more complex programs by using several basic modules

45. Software Technology Example Module: Motor Controller Front panel (user interface)

46. Software Technology Cont…

47. Software Technology Cont… Example Module: Motor Controller Connection diagram (program interface)

48. Software Implementation • Interface Existing Modules Together • Celestial Coordinates Conversion • Receiver serial communication • Write new software modules • Pointing Correction • Mapping • Document work

49. Software Testing • Component Testing • Master control panel, to directly control the raw dish voltages, view feedback from input devices, etc. • Use to diagnose electrical problems

50. Matt Moore • Definitions • Acknowledgements • Problem Statement • Operating Environment • Intended Users and Uses • End Product • Assumptions and Limitations • Accomplishments • Project Activities • Resource Requirements • Lessons Learned • Closing Summary