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ASCEND Team's Journey: Building and Launching a Scientific Payload

Follow the Pima Community College ASCEND Team as they design, build, and launch a scientific payload in this NASA-sponsored project. Learn about their challenges, successes, and future plans.

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ASCEND Team's Journey: Building and Launching a Scientific Payload

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  1. Pima Community College ASCEND Team NW Campus ARIZONA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM SYMPOSIUM 19 APRIL, 2008

  2. Pima Community College ASCEND Team • Daniel Jerrim Instrumentation • Roscoe Vertein Design/Construction • Dr. Denise Meeks Faculty/Mentor • Mike Sampogna Faculty/Mentor Roscoe Denise Daniel Mike Roscoe Denise Daniel Mike Roscoe Denise Daniel Mike Roscoe Denise Daniel Mike Roscoe Denise Daniel Mike

  3. Background • Roscoe Vertein • Military weather • Mechanical aptitude • Love of physics • Daniel Jerrim • Obsession with technology • Basic computer knowledge • Passion for building/creating

  4. Motivation…?

  5. INESCAPABLESCIENTIFIC CURIOSITY NASA sponsored, ANSR affiliated And of course, the educational benefits

  6. The “Why?” • Astronomy students • Volunteer • Outside normal workload • Principle to practical • Building the “Toolbox” of knowledge • Needed another notch on the… pocket protector

  7. In the Beginning… • Submitted grant proposal for ANSR/ASCEND project • Smartest, cutest, most capable and imaginative students both from Astronomy 101 & 102 • Our team was formed, 2 instructors and 2 students

  8. The Plan • Received basic module design • Parts ordered • Duties divided according to expertise

  9. K.I.S.S.(Keep It Simple Stupid) B Battery TC Timing Circuit DC Digital Camera HTR Heater H HOBO S Sensor

  10. The Breakdown

  11. Electronics

  12. Fabrication

  13. Bringing It Together • Last minute changes • New logger • Malfunction with pressure logger interface • Overnight new pressure logger • New support/load bearing center pole • PVC tubing and cement untested at low pressure and temperature • Used lamp rod, washers, and nuts

  14. Preflight Orientation • Arrival • Observations • Networking with veteran teams • Examining their projects/experiments • The ASCEND rookies • Plenty of motivation • Lack of experience • The devil is in the details

  15. The Night Before Launch • Discussing the future of our participation • Preplanning our next payload • Here and now! • Burning the 3 a.m. oil • Removed panels for final setup • Tested all equipment operation • Checked and rechecked wiring • Set and reset programs

  16. The Breakdown

  17. Last Minute Preparations • Final convoy arrangements • Forecasting balloon course • Real-time payload tracking • Coordinating communications and route

  18. Preparing for Launch • Initializing payload • Fresh battery installation • Digital camera • Timing circuit • Heater • Final configuration of loggers • Final testing of camera • Aluminum tape seal of load • Flipping of outer switches

  19. Final Touches Power Switches Aluminum Sealing

  20. Filling of Balloon • Balloon filled with helium • Approximately 20% more than total combined weight of payloads • Four-person balloon-stabilizing team • Watch out for bursts of wind

  21. WINDY DAY!!!!

  22. Send Off • Payloads separated along cord • Aligned for launch

  23. The Chase • From Gila Bend to Black Mt. • Tracked by GPS Payload at 62,000 ft

  24. The Route

  25. The Recovery • GPS set to 32.8103,-111.3240 • 20 minutes by foot • Just east from Newman Peak

  26. Temp, °C 30.2° to -22.1° DewPt, °C 8.9° to -49.3° RH, % 35.0° to 5.1° Recovered Data

  27. What We Learned • Fabrication materials • Construction methods • Equipment reliability and functionality • Attention to detail • New questions to ask • Identified unpredicted power anomalies • Education • Temperature variation • Pressure changes with altitude

  28. Next Time… • Research • New equipment • Sensor capabilities • Data acquisition techniques • More time to work • Know who to contact for help • More Testing

  29. Solar power Single mother board GPS Radio Transmitter Multiple cameras Video Pressure Altitude Temp. - Inside payload - Outside Humidity Accelerometer EM radiation Future Project Plans

  30. Special Thanks • Jack Crabtree • ANSR • Susan Brew • Arizona Space Grant Consortium • NASA • ASCEND participants • Northwest Campus administration • Everyone at the launch and recovery • Mike Sampogna • Denise Meeks

  31. Questions?

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