National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Balloon Program

1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Balloon Program 2009 Bridging the Gap to Space The Micro-Instrumentation Package: A Solution for Lightweight Ballooning Created by Jill Juneau Presented by Dwayne Orr Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility

2. Consolidated Instrumentation Package (CIP) • Used for systems in range of Line of Sight (LOS) lasting hours up to a few days • Battery powered, lasting up to several days • TM Uplink • 1200 Baud UHF Uplink • 77 Discrete Relay Drivers • 16 Bit Parallel Data Word • TM Downlinks • VCO’s IRIG 7, 8, 9, B, E, HH • GPS Position / Pressure Altitude • FAA Transponder • L/S Band Transmitters • NTSC Video • Up to 1Mbit Bi-phase Science Data • ≈ 100 pounds with the termination system

3. Support Instrumentation Package (SIP) • Used for Long Duration flights needing Over the Horizon Communications • Line Of Sight Communications • Telemetry Transmitter up to 1 Mbps • Over the Horizon Communications • NASA’s TDRSS – 6 kbps Omni Antenna • NASA’s TDRSS – 92 kbps High Gain Antenna • Iridium – 2kbps through dialup • Solar Panel Power System and Backup Batteries • ≈ 400 lbs with solar panel and termination system

4. What is the MIP? • The MIP is a lightweight Over the Horizon telemetry and termination system that in its full up configuration can provide safe operation of a balloon flight including data downlink/uplink, termination, parachute cutaway, and ballasting

5. Benefits of a Lightweight Cost Effective Telemetry System • The Micro Instrumentation Package (MIP) is great for scientists who: • Want to use a lightweight payload on small balloons for lower costs and/or disposable flights • Want to use a lightweight payload on a large balloon for higher altitudes • Need a NASA approved Over the Horizon lightweight telemetry system to safely operate the balloon flight • The MIP does have very limited data rates compared with CSBF’s other telemetry systems - the trade off is weight and cost

6. History of the MIP development and test flights • Early 2006 - First electronic development started • During summer and fall of 2007 – 3 piggyback flights on CSBF flights and 7 test flights conducted using 3000 gram balloons that burst at 100k feet • Spring 2008 - Two full up test flights with full flight trains • After the 2 successful full up test flights, the MIP was qualified as a NASA flight system

7. MIP Test Flights

8. Microcontroller PCB – The central unit of the MIP • Designed by CSBF • Uses Microchip Pic18F8722 • Programmed in C • Features located on board • 22 Analog inputs • 16 digital inputs • 30 digital outputs • 6 serial ports • Line Of Sight port • Iridium port • GPS port • Cross over commanding or external stack input • Diagnostics port • Science data port

9. Microcontroller PCB – The central unit of the MIP • Advantages of microcontroller board • Inexpensive parts (microcontroller costs $10) • Low power – 120 mA at 9 V with GPS unit running • Board footprint is small (4.25” x 4.25”) • Can be used for many different CSBF applications • Many timers and parameters are programmable during flight • Operates over wide range of temperatures and performs well in a vacuum environment

10. MIP Configurations – Antarctica Pathfinder • Used to verify satellite derived wind data acting as an Over the Horizon sonde • Provides basic GPS information and temperature data • Consists of CSBF Microcontroller PCB, Iridium SBD modem 9601, and battery • System has been used successfully the last 2 seasons in Antarctica

11. MIP Configurations – Antarctica Pathfinder • Steady State power = 1.2 Watts • The 9601 Iridium modem uses Short Burst Data only • To save power Iridium modem is put into power standby when not used • In Previous flights the system weighed 4 pounds and lasted for 5 days with once every 30 minute transmission • New configuration will weigh less than 5 pounds and provide for 10 days of flight with once every 30 minute transmission rates

12. Video of a Pathfinder Launch

13. MIP Configurations – Backup Navigation System • Used as the third redundant GPS system on long duration flights with a Support Instrumentation Package (SIP) • Provides basic GPS information and SIP critical housekeeping parameters • Consists of CSBF Microcontroller PCB, Iridium SBD modem, DC/DC Converter and is powered from the SIP

14. MIP Configurations – Full Up System Functions • Redundant Microcontroller Boards with crossover commanding • Redundant LOS Transceivers • Redundant SBD Iridium Units • Dial-Up capability on one modem • Redundant GPS receivers • Redundant DC/DC converter Boards • 3 MKS Pressure Sensors • 1 for each range • 2 Science Interface Ports

15. MIP Configurations – Full Up System Functions • Burst Detect and Minimum Altitude Circuits • Ballast Valve Circuit controlled independent of software • Each microcontroller board redundantly monitors termination, parachute cutaway, and valve information • Redundant termination firing circuits and Helium Valve • Parachute Cutaway System

16. MIP Data Rates LOS • LOS transceiver UHF frequency • MIP packet once every 15 seconds • Science packet up to 255 bytes once every 30 seconds • Commands can be received at any time • Science can add LOS telemetry transmitter (up to 1 Mbps) with tradeoff of more batteries OTH • Iridium Short Burst Data • MIP packet once a minute • Commands received when packet is sent • Science packet up to 255 bytes once every few minutes • Future capability to have dial up available for science data

17. Comparison of Data Rates for CSBF systems

18. MIP Power Consumption and Weight • MIP Enclosure steady state power 28V@.5A = 14W • When transmitting LOS Current spikes shortly above 1A • When Dialed up Iridium current spikes up to .75A • Can achieve lower power consumption depending on the configuration • Can operate on batteries or solar panel system • The MIP electronic enclosure weighs 20 pounds without batteries • A 10 lb. 30 amp hour battery pack will last approximately 2 days • 6 day flight – 50 lbs. of electronics and batteries

19. Science Interface

20. Success with the Full Up MIP System - Summer 2008 • Super Pressure Balloon Test Flight • Launched in Ft. Sumner, New Mexico • 2 million cubic feet balloon • MIP provided telemetry of the balloon location and termination of the flight

21. Success with the Full Up MIP System - Summer 2008 • Flight from Sweden to Canada lasting 4 days 9 hours • 11 million cubic feet balloon • MIP operated termination and parachute cutaway • System powered from batteries • Science Interface used to transmit science payload charge controller information

22. Success with the Full Up MIP System - Winter 2008 - 2009 • Super Pressure Balloon Test Flight • Launched from McMurdo Station, Antarctica • Flight Duration: over 54 days • 7 million cubic feet balloon • MIP powered by small solar panel system • MIP operated flight including flight termination and parachute cutaway

23. Video of SPB launch

24. Success with the Full Up MIP System - Summer 2009 • Flight from Sweden to Canada lasting 4 days 11 hours • 39 million cubic feet balloon • MIP operated termination and parachute cutaway • System powered from batteries • Science Interface used to transmit science payload charge controller information

25. Upcoming campaigns Antarctica 2009-2010 • BARREL • MIP Pathfinder with terminate firing circuit used as a redundant method of balloon communication and cut down • 5 Test flights using .3 million cubic feet size balloon • Total payload weight 70 lbs. • MIP powered from BARREL solar panel system and backup battery • Hand launch system

26. Video of BARREL Test Launch

27. Thank you for your attendance Questions and Comments?

28. Video Of LEE launch