Team D

11-18-14

ENG 101-4

Final Document

Summary of What Went Well

The programming and operation of the Raspberry Pi’s worked perfectly. It functioned

just as we wanted it to, and the video quality was very nice. The aluminum strips used for

attaching the fishing line worked very well and made the payload easier to attach. The

organization of the components within the box was also very nice. Each part was securely

fastened, and the items were not all bunched together. The Dynamics simulator that Sam

Koenke made as well as the simulator for Survivability that Daniel Brown made were well put

together and greatly aided the project.

Things done differently

If we had the chance to do the project again, we would order a much smaller box. The

Raspberry Pi’s compactness allowed for a very spacious internal compartment. A smaller box

would significantly cut down on payload weight. The payload was around 3 and a half pounds.

This was nowhere near our goal of 2 pounds. The budget would have also been rearranged to

allow more money in order to buy a few more items. Most importantly, greater care would

have been taken of the balloon during launch day.

Lessons Learned

Team D has learned valuable lessons from this project. First, handle all items with care,

especially electronic equipment. Perhaps the middle pin of the external temperature sensor

would not have broken if it had been handled cautiously. Second, team communication is vital.

As with all projects, rough spots will be hit. In order to get past these spots, the team as a

whole, as well as individuals, must handle them right. Communication among team members

and groups will significantly help in this process. An example of this was the mounting of the

plexi-glass windows. Because the windows were put on before the holes had been bored to

proper size, the entire hole was made larger than it needed to be in order to mount the

cameras. To hold the small cameras in this large hole, Survivability had to create little

cardboard extensions for the cameras. This could have been avoided with proper

communication. Next, the budget could also have been rearranged slightly in order to obtain a

couple more items. Fourth, better attendance at team meetings would have helped with the

project. Keeping the team as a whole up to date was a challenge since the entire team was

rarely at team meetings. Group meetings, organized by group leaders, were more successful in

their attendance. Lastly, better communication and awareness on launch day was needed.

Perhaps the balloon could have been kept away from the low parts of the activity center roof. If

this was done and the balloon still had popped, it would be much easier to determine that the

balloon was defective. I, as a project manager, take these responsibilities. May we learn from

these mistakes, improve upon them, and have successful missions in the future.

Final Project Cost

The total cost for this project was $197.90.