1 Student Hands On Training I (2009) BalloonSats & Ballooning BalloonSats & Ballooning

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Student Hands On Training I (2009)

BalloonSats&

Ballooning

BalloonSats&

Ballooning

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- Started at Space Grant June 2000

- Was a student at Space Grant 1990-1995

- Programs had advanced

- Hard for freshman students to get plugged in

- Sink or Swim

Origins:

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How it all started…

- Western Regional Meeting in San Diego Fall 2000

- Bob Twiggs introduced CubeSats

- Great concept but…- 80 to 100 new students a year- $35K to $50K- Complexity

- Seed was planted

Origins:

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What if students could get close to space?

- Met Edge of Space Sciences (EOSS) in Fall 1996

Origins:

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- Promise of recovery and 100,000 feet

- Price was right

- Many launches every year

- Some of the same engineering challenges

Origins:

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With the combination of these items, BalloonSat was born

Origins:

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- BalloonSat is an excellent, low cost platform for “Crawl” level student missions to the Edge of Space

- A BalloonSat weighing up to 9 kg can reach 30 km (100,000 feet)

- Students faced with many engineering challenges- Mach 1, -80 C, near vacuum, impact and burst

- No microgravity but BalloonSat can be recovered

BalloonSat:

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Ballooning

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- Ballooning is inexpensive- Helium (~$80)- Balloon (~$150)

- You mostly control launch

- Ballooning is inexpensive- Helium (~$80)- Balloon (~$150)

- You mostly control launch

BallooningBallooning

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BallooningBallooning

When your balloon and payload ascend into the sky…When your balloon and payload ascend into the sky…

Every student knows, their experimentis going where no one

Every student knows, their experimentis going where no one

- except astronauts - has ever gone before

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BalloonSat Hardware:

Digital Camera 555 Timing Circuit Datalogger & Temp Probe

Batteries

Basic Stamp

- Digital cameras- Photodiodes- Solar Cells- Geiger tubes- Hand Warmers and Desiccant- Insulation

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BalloonSat Construction:

AluminumConstruction

Foam CoreConstruction

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BalloonSat Construction:

- Velcro- Silicon Adhesive and Hot Glue- Aluminum Tape

- Insulation- Venting- Condensation

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BalloonSats

- Easy to attach to balloon

- Easy to track and Recovery

- Fun for all

- You will build yours in 3 days

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- Space Hardware Demonstrations

- Atmospheric Studies

- Technology Prototypes

- Life Sciences Studies

- Remote Sensing

- Student Training

BalloonSat Uses:

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- BalloonSat is geared to college level freshmen of all majors but high school students have done it too

- Taught every semester as part of a class titledGateway to Space

- Students are placed in teams of six and given an RFP and write proposal

BalloonSat:

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- Atmospheric radiation levels

- Solar cell efficiency

- Atmospheric soundings

- Video imaging

- High altitude effects on

roaches

- Digital sound recording of

upper atmosphere

- Temperature studies

Past Student Experiments:

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Launch: Supported by EOSS

- 3000 gram latex balloon

- Gaseous Helium (~4 K bottles)- Balloon filling

system- Flight string- Radio Transceiver- GPS- Control Systems- Parachute- FAA notification

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Launch Review:

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Launch Video:

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Launch Video:

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BalloonSats

- Typical launch

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BalloonSats

- Typical launch

BalloonSats

- Typical launch

Burst:

- Altitude variable

- One of the most violent moments of the flight

- Mach I

Series of burst images

- Altitude variable

- One of the most violent moments of the flight

- Mach I

Series of burst images

Burst:

Burst:

Burst:

Burst:

Burst:

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BalloonSats

- Interesting burst

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BalloonSats

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BalloonSats

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- Drop Test

- Cooler Test

- Stair Test

- Whip Test

- Subsystem Tests

- Functional Tests

- Mission Sim Tests

BalloonSat Testing:

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BalloonSat Testing:

Kick, Drop, Cool, and Whip

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Agenda: (Thursday)Agenda: (Thursday)

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Launch Review:

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- Begins after launch- Can track real-time- Recovery complete same day

Recovery:

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Launch Review:

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Launch Review:

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Student Hands On Training I (2009)

Questions?Questions?