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Colorado Space Grant Consortium

GATEWAY TO SPACE FALL 2011

DESIGN DOCUMENT

Pegasus MSF

Written by: Jordan Burns

Brenden HoganHemal Semwal

Cody SpikerMiranda LinkChris Dehoyos

November 5, 2011Revision C

Gateway to Space ASEN/ASTR 2500 Fall 2011

Revision Log

Revision Description DateA/B Conceptual and Preliminary Design Review 10/4/11C Critical Design Review 11/1/11D Analysis and Final Report 12/3/11

of 23 November 5, 2011Rev C


Table of Contents1.0 Mission Overview……………………………………………………………………......42.0 Requirements Flow Down………………………………………………….....................53.0 Design……………………………………………………………………………………64.0 Management……………………………………………………………………………..135.0 Budget……………………………………………………………………………………156.0 Test Plan and Results…………………………………………………………………….177.0 Expected Results………………………………………………………………………....218.0 Launch and Recovery…………………………………………………………………...21

of 23 November 5, 2011Rev C


1.0 Mission Overview

SatElysium shall test the effects of a high altitude environment upon closed containers of the bacterium Streptococcus mutans and recorded their response to analyze the effects of harsh radiation and temperature on bacterial reproduction and survival.

Overview:The 1967 Surveyor 3 mission that successfully went to the moon and

‘surveyed/analyzed’ the lunar terrain gave rise to a highly controversial claim. Upon the return of the Apollo 12’s payload, that of which contained the camera of Surveyor 3, and after analysis, small samples of bacteria were discovered. Since no one had had any contact with the camera for nearly two and a half years, the only explainable answer was that the bacteria had hopped on to the camera back in its production and had been sitting on the camera the entire time. But, due to the harsh conditions that these bacteria would have to endure during their stay on the camera, this option is highly unlikely. (1) To those who oppose this possibility, the only other reasonable possibility is that the bacteria had contaminated the camera somehow. Pegasus MSF would like to test this possibility by replicating the circumstances that these bacteria had to endure briefly within the window of about two hours.

The Environment:The environment that the bacteria would have had to endure would be a

conglomerate of low/high temperature swings, low level background radiation, and low pressure. By exposing several specimens of related bacteria to these conditions and analyzing their response, the final results could give insight into whether or not bacteria can survive even for a short amount of time in these conditions. After exposure, the reaction of the bacterium will give a major insight into whether or not bacteria are affected by the harsh mimicking conditions of 100,000 km.

The Bacteria:The bacteria that have been chosen for this experiment are a related batch of

bacteria known as Streptococcus mutans. The strand of bacteria found on the Surveyor 3 mission, Streptococcus mitis, has very little differences to the bacteria that Pegasus MSF will be using for the November 5th flight. Each species is gram-positive and is coccus in shape. Thus, the mitis strand found on the Surveyor 3 camera is easy to find a replacement for. Due to the unavailability of any strands of mitis, mutans had to be used as a replacement. This strand is aerobic so that means that it must be semi-resilient to harsh air conditions such as dehydration and temperature flux. For testing, mutans has the highest possibility of proving that bacteria can handle stressful conditions of a harsh environment such as “near space.” (3)

Insight:The outcome from this experiment will allow the team to have insight into

whether or not the Surveyor 3 results are accurate. Also worth knowing, certain strands of bacteria, such as Streptoccus mutans, respond to harsh changes in life threatening

of 23 October 4, 2011Rev A


environments with a response of high reproduction. Thus, if the matured cultures come back from the experimentation segment of the project and there is a detectable increase in the amount of bacterial spores, the project can accurately claim that bacteria do not favor these conditions. If the bacteria come back from the experiment stage and there is no noticeable flux in their condition, then the project can accurately claim that the conditions of high altitude flight will have no effect on the bacteria. (2)

This feedback will allow team Pegasus MSF to check the validity of the Surveyor 3 project’s results. The feedback will also check the fact that bacterial infection has a greater possibility of attacking a host through increased population reproduction at higher altitudes and near space conditions for the specific genus Streptococcus.

Hypothesis:Team Pegasus MSF believes that the bacteria shall not react adversely to the cold

and heightened amount of radiation. Bacterium is a resilient microorganism that has survived billions of years on Earth during extreme climate changes. The team believes the spore count in our base sample shall not vary from those that fly on the SatElysium.

Sources:1. “Earth Microbes on the Moon.” September 12, 2011. NASA Science. 2011.

<http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/1998 /ast01sep98_1/>.

2. “Bacteria: Space Colonists.” September 12, 2011. Panspermia.org. 2011. <http:// www.panspermia.org/bacteria-htm>.

3. Basset, Andrew. “Streptococcus mutans.” September 12, 2011. mst.edu. 2010. <http://web.mst.edu/~mirobio/BIO221_2006/S_mutans.htm>.

2.0 Requirements Flow DownTeam Pegasus MSF shall construct a BalloonSat, SatElysium, developed from the

mission statement. Adhering to these accepted requirements shall provide for a functioning satellite and guide the team throughout the design and construction process.

Level Requirement Description Origin

0

A Construct a BalloonSat that shall survive an ascent to 30 km above the surface of Earth and the following decent while maintaining complete functionality.

Mission Statement

B The weight of SatElysium shall not exceed 850 grams, nor a budget of $370.

C SatElysium shall safely transport 6 samples of streptococcus mutans during its flight, studying the effects of temperature and radiation in the stratosphere on the bacteria.

D The streptococcus mutans samples shall be



recovered and analyzed post-flight.E SatElysium shall carry a camera payload to

document footage of the flight exterior of the satellite.

1

A.1 Build a rectangular structure that measures 21 cm in height, width, and 12 cm in length out of foam core, hot glue, and aluminum tape. The structure shall contain a rod that shall attach the satellite to the flight string for the duration of the flight.

Level 0

B.1 The weights of all components shall be monitored during build and the entire satellite shall be weighed prior to launch.

B.2 Miranda Link shall maintain an updated budget and keep all team members informed of its status.

C.1 Three separate environments shall be created on board the satellite: one that is insulated and heated, one that has no heater, and one that has no heater and is expose to radiation.

C.2 Samples shall be secured to the structure of the satellite with Velcro.

C.3 Samples shall contain the bacterium streptococcus mutans.

C.4 Temperature and radiation data shall be collected at 8 second intervals by a system on board

D.1 Obtain access to a microscope that is of sufficient power to analyze our microbes.

D.2 Analyze microbes before and after flight as well as conducting a variety of ground control tests.

E.1 Appropriate space for the system in design phases as well as structural adaptations for the camera to look out of the satellite.

E.2 Install camera on board the satellite, fit it with a connection to an external switch, and program with proper instructions

3.0 Design

Structure Design: Our satellite will be a rectangle with dimensions of 21 cm x 21 cm x 12 cm, with

a 1 cm diameter tube running through the center of our satellite, which will be attached to the flight string. The structure shall be cut from foam core and shaped using aluminum tape and hot glue. The total volume will be 5292 cm cubed. The center of gravity is at the local center of the rectangle, which will keep our samples stable and oriented vertically while the experiment takes place. To ensure stability in our satellite, we will use batteries to power all systems on board. Both will take up weight restrictions but are integral to the success of the mission.



SatElysium shall feature an upper and lower deck. The upper and lower deck shall be reinforced with trusses created from foam core to optimize the system’s stability during burst and impact. The lower deck will consist primarily of our instrumentation including microcontroller, camera, heater system, pressure sensor, HOBO (which includes the temperature sensor and humidity sensors) and a baseline bacteria sample. The bacteria sample will not be exposed to the environmental conditions surrounding the satellite, and will serve as a baseline sample for comparative use. This lower deck will consist of electronic structures, and will be insulated and cushioned Styrofoam, keeping it safe from the environment. The lower deck will house the heating unit for the entire satellite. This hole must be sealed to the camera using tape so to not contaminate the interior chamber’s environment. The camera shall be fastened to face out a hole located on the side of the satellite. The camera will collect data every 10 seconds during the flight. The lower deck shall measure 9 cm high, to allow greater room in the experimental deck. Hot glue shall be used to attach all systems to the foam core structure. All petri dishes will be secured to the foam core structure using Velcro strips and hot glue.

The upper deck shall measure 12 cm high and contain two split petri dishes, a stepper motor, a temperature and humidity sensor, and visible light radiation sensor, and Styrofoam for internal insulation. The upper deck shall be separated into two isolated chambers by a foam core wall, allowing us to create two different testing environments.

Experiment Design: There will be three experiments carried on board SatElysium, including the

control sample located in the lower deck. Each environment will contain two bacterium samples housed in split petri dishes, for a total of six experiments. Two of the bacterium samples will serve as the control and will remain in the protected environment of the electronics section, which will be the bottom half of our rectangle satellite. Two others will be exposed to the outside environment of 30 km above Earth’s surface. This section of the upper deck shall contain a visible light sensor to measure the exposure to light radiation within this atmosphere. The light will enter the satellite through a four centimeter diameter hole, and will be located towards the top of our satellite. This hole will be position using a solar position calculator to optimize the angle of exposure of the bacterium sample. These petri dishes will also be tilted within the structure to maximize the amount of exposure to light radiation. The component door will open and close using a stepper motor that will close a circular hatch; the circular hatch will stop on a metal pin, to ensure complete closure of the port, located near the entrance of the hole. We want to ensure that the light collected, and the environment tested in, will be at maximum flight height. Therefore, the door will be programmed to open after 70 minutes of flight time, and will close after a certain time, which will be programmed beforehand using previous flight times.

The last two samples will be exposed to an environment where temperature is monitored by a sensor. This environment shall contain no heater, but will be insulated from exterior radiation. The HOBO’s exterior temperature sensor shall be used to monitor the temperature of this chamber, because due to its lack of insulation, the temperature of the exterior environment is going to be equal to the interior. To minimize radiation pollution in the quarantined environment, there shall be no hole in this section



of the upper deck. Data from the temperature sensor shall be routed to the Arduino microcontroller to be retrieved after launch.

The six samples of streptococcus mutans present on the satellite shall be compared with a sample kept here on Earth as a control. This sample shall be grown in a lab environment of 25 degrees Celsius and 1 atm pressure, with minimal exposure to radiation.

Sample Number Environment Location Isolated Variable

1,2 Insulated and heated Lower deck None (control sample)

3,4 No heat or insulation, temperature will be equal to exterior environment.

Upper deck chamber 1

Temperature

5,6 Heated and insulated, hole on structure to allow light radiation to reach sample

Upper deck chamber 2

Visible light radiation

Data Collection An Arduino microcontroller shall be used to log data from all systems during the

flight. The temperature and humidity and light radiation sensors from the upper deck shall be routed to the microcontroller located in the lower deck. The USB outlet located on the Arduino Uno shall allow data to be removed from the microcontroller for analysis. The pressure sensor in the lower deck shall serve simply as a data collection medium, and will be essential to characterize the environment that the bacteria are in (see experimental design), as well as plot altitude of SatElysium as a function of flight time. Each sensor on board SatElysium shall be programmed collect data once every sixty seconds during the flight. Images taken by the camera will be stored on the local 2GB memory unit.

In addition we shall also use a Hobo data unit that will be provided to us. It shall collect data about internal and external temperature, as well as internal humidity. This data can be accessed through software provided to us. The Hobo unit will be located on the lower half of the satellite.

Collection of data on bacterium will be through a microscope. Comparisons shall be made between the rate of growth of those samples kept on Earth, those in the insulated, heated control environment in the satellite’s lower deck, and the two experimental samples in the upper deck. The microscope shall be used to determine the multiplication of cell cultures during the flight, compared to their normal growth rate. We will be looking for colony count as well as colony density, as an indicator of bacterial growth and reproduction. The samples that are currently being cultured exhibit a creamy white color, smattered around the petri dish. We will compare the before and after



bacterial samples, and depending on the density of the colonies, we hope to conclude if visible light or temperature at a high earth altitude had any effect on the bacteria growth or reproduction.

Parts list- see section 5.0




21 cm

21 cm

Petri dish (10 cm diameter)

Switches (4)

Batteries (3)

Stepper Motor (2.2 cm diameter)

Digital Camera

Flight rod (1 cm diameter)

19 cm


How we shall meet design requirements:Requirements are numbered, answers are below

1. Design shall have additional experiment(s) that collects science data and teams must analyze this data.

a. We shall meet this requirement by sending up samples of bacteria that we shall examine before and after the flight. We shall also collect temperature, pressure, humidity and data on the bacterium’s state. Once the flight is over we shall take this data and analyze it in relation to the bacteria to determine why their state changed if it did.

2. After flight, BalloonSat shall be turned in working and ready to fly again.a. We shall meet this requirement by correcting any problems with our

balloon satellite promptly at a team meeting where we shall also begin to analyze the data collected by the microcontroller system.

3. Flight string interface tube shall be a non-metal tube through the center of the BalloonSat and shall be secured to the box so it will not pull through the BalloonSat or interfere with the flight string. (See flight string attachment diagram at the end of this document.)

a. We shall meet this requirement by planning it into our design and putting it into the satellite when built. The tube shall be provided and we shall construct a stopper with a carter pin made from a paper clip.

4. Internal temperature of the BalloonSat shall remain above -10˚C during the flight.

a. We shall meet this requirement by constructing a heater at a team meeting. The parts shall be provided however we shall be required to construct them.

5. Total weight shall not exceed 850 grams.a. We shall meet this requirement by checking our weight periodically and

making sure it lines up with predictions made earlier in the design process. If we exceed weight we shall stage a meeting in order to determine how this requirement shall be met.


Petri dish

Batteries (4)

Arduino Uno


6. Each team shall acquire (not necessarily measure) ascent and descent rates of the flight string.

a. We shall meet this requirement by receiving data on the accent and descent rates from Chris Koehler. In addition we shall attempt to determine these rates through careful analysis and calculation of data collected by our pressure sensor.

7. Design shall allow for a HOBO H08-004-02 (provided) 68x48x19 mm and 30 grams

a. We shall meet this requirement by planning its inclusion into the final design and in renderings, sketches, design requirements and construction.

8. Design shall allow for external temperature cable (provided)a. We shall meet this requirement by planning its inclusion into the final

design and in renderings, sketches, design requirements and construction.9. Design shall allow for a Canon A570IS Digital Camera (provided)

45x75x90mm and 220 grams (with 2 AA Lithium batteries) or an Canon SD780 IS 18x55x88mm and 130 grams.


10. Design shall allow for an active heater system weighing 100 grams with batteries and id 10x50x50mm (provided). Dimensions do not include 2 x 9 volt batteries.


11. BalloonSat shall be made of foam core (provided).a. We shall meet this requirement by being provided the foam core necessary

for construction. Then we shall plan for it in design stages and include it in the balloon satellite.

12. Parts list and budget shall include spare parts.a. We shall meet this requirement by analyzing our parts list and budget and

budgeting for multiple repairs on the sensors and structure. We anticipate one sensor and motor as our project progresses.

13. All BalloonSats shall have contact information written on the outside along with a US Flag (provided).

a. We shall meet this requirement by affixing a US Flag that shall be provided to us to the satellite. In addition we shall also affix our contact information to the satellite. This information shall be our team name and Chris Koehler’s name and number.

14. Proposal, design, and other documentation units shall be in metric.a. We shall meet this requirement by taking most measurements in metric

units and for any units that aren’t converting them.



15. Launch is in November 5, 2011. Time and location: 6:50 AM in Windsor, CO. Launch schedule will be given later. Everyone is expected to show up for launch. Only one team member is required to participate on the recovery. Launch and recovery should be completed by 3:00 PM.

a. We shall meet this requirement by calling each member of the team 30 minutes prior to 4:45am and if they fail to respond going to their residence except in the case of Miranda who lives off campus. We shall ensure she is at the launch through the use of alarm clocks.

16. No one shall get hurt.a. We shall meet this requirement through the use of a safety officer. This

person shall be responsible for making sure all tools, materials, and components are handled correctly. They shall also serve as the voice of reason during the entirety of the class. This person shall be Jordan Burns.

17. All hardware is the property of the Gateway to Space program and must be returned in working order end of the semester

a. We shall meet this requirement by giving back all of the hardware and ensuring that it is in working order before we do. If something cannot be repaired we shall discuss it with Chris Koehler and if he chooses procure additional parts to replace the non-operational ones.

18. All parts shall be ordered and paid by Chris Koehler’s CU Visa by appointment to minimize reimbursement paperwork. All teams shall keep detailed budgets on every purchase and receipts shall be turned in within 48 hours of purchase with team name written on the receipt along with a copy of the Gateway order form (HW 04).

a. We shall meet this requirement by keeping all receipts organized and on record. We shall also ensure that the purchases go through Chris Koehler’s CU visa.

19. All purchases made by team individuals shall have receipts and must be submitted within 60 days of purchase or reimbursement will be subject to income taxes.

a. We shall meet this requirement by requiring all team members to turn in receipts that shall be sent to Chris within 10 days of the purchase.

20. Have fun and be creative.a. We shall meet this requirement by assigning a lead fun manager. This

person shall be responsible for making sure that creativity and fun are abundant. This person shall be Hemal Semwal.

21. Absolutely nothing alive will be permitted as payloads, with the exception of yellow jackets, mosquitoes, fire ants, earwigs, roaches, or anything you would squish if you found it in your bed.



a. We shall meet this requirement by not sending up any unapproved life forms.

22. Completion of final report (extra credit if team video is included) a. We shall meet this requirement by having a variety of team meetings after

the flight to concatenate our data, analyze it, and put it into a final report.

23. All BalloonSats shall have visual indicators on the outside of the flight structure to confirm at launch that the payload is active and running.

a. We shall meet this requirement by the use of switches that shall indicate the status of the payload. When the switch is in the off position the system it is labeled as shall be off and when it is in the on position so shall the system it is labeled as.

4.0 ManagementThe goal of Pegasus MSF is to work collectively as a team to produce SatElysium.

While every team member has a designated job title and focus area, our work will have large areas of overlap. Jordan Burns will act as team leader, organizing the meetings and schedule. She will also work under Hemal Semwal, aiding in the construction of SatElysium, specifically in developing the thermal subsystem of insulation and temperature control. Hemal Semwal will be the construction manager. Miranda Link will handle the budget, keeping track of all incoming and outgoing funds. Brenden Hogan will apply his expertise in circuits and programming to his position as Lead Electrical Engineer. He will be responsible for linking all of the technology within our satellite to the data storage system, as well as to each other. Brenden will work with Hemal and Jordan to make sure our construction process optimizes the ability to connect all necessary technology to each other. Cody Spiker will be responsible for helping with the construction, but he will also act as Science Manager. Cody will handle carrying out the controls that make our experiment valid, and linking our science mission to the constructed satellite. Lastly, Chris Dehoyos will be responsible for tests carried out on SatElysium. Chris will also be responsible for taking video footage of everything we do this semester for our extra credit video.



Schedule All team meeting shall be held on Sundays and Thursdays at 5 p.m. unless

otherwise noted. Scheduled build sessions will be held on: 10/3,10/6, 10/8, 10/10, 10/13, 10/16,

10/17, 10/20, and 10/23o Not all team members must be present each time, but each team member

must make at least six sessions.

9/9/11 First team meeting 10/16/11 Team meeting – DD rev C and LRR presentations

9/12/11 Divide tasks and submit individual sections by 9/13/11

10/16/11 Construction of final BalloonSat


Jordan Burns Project Manager-thermal engineer

9118 Andrews Hall, Boulder, CO 80130

(719) [email protected]

Brenden Hogan -Lead Electrical Engineer

-responsible for circuits and mechanisms

9026 Crosman HallBoulder, CO 80310


Cody Spiker-Science Manager

-responsible for all control tests on the bacteria and the growth of bacteria cultures pre-launch9023 Crosman Hall, Boulder,

CO 80310(970) 589-5689

[email protected] Semwal-Lead Structural Engineer

-responsible for overseeing the construction of the satellite9038 AdenHall, Boulder, CO

80309(719)-339-7570

[email protected]

Miranda Link-Design and Budget

Management 590 Merlin St., Lafayette, CO

80026(970) 372-8873

[email protected]

Christopher Dehoyos-Video Director and Testing

Manager-oversee extra credit video

9130 Darley North Hall,Boulder, CO 80310



9/14/11 Team meeting/Take ITLL tour 10/18/11 Continue Construction+Incubation9/15/11 Finalize Proposal 10/20/11 Continue Construction+Incubation9/16/11 Submit Proposal 10/23/11 Satellite completion9/19/11 Team meeting for Design Presentation 10/24/11 Continue Incubation9/20/11 Conceptual Design Review Presentation 10/25/11 Pre-Launch Inspection9/22/11 Team meeting to decide parts order forms 10/26/11 Vaccuum and Cooler tests9/27/11 Order satellite hardware 10/26/11 Team meeting - DD rev C and LRR9/27/11 Team meeting 10/27/11 In class mission simulation9/30/11 Team meeting-CDR and DD revA/B 10/31/11 Submit DD rev C and LLR presentations10/2/11 Team meeting-CDR and DD revA/B 11/01/11 Launch readiness review10/3/11 Submit CDR and DD revA/B 11/03/11 Team Meeting – Begin rev D10/4/11 Team meeting HW05 11/04/11 Final BalloonSat weigh in and turn in9/28-10/7 Build prototypes. Grow first set of

bacteria for ground control11/05/11 Launch and recovery

10/10/11 Submit HW05 11/06/11 Meet to review data, rev D, HW0810/7/11 Complete drop and whip tests 11/07/11 Team meeting – rev D10/8/11 Program Arduino during team meeting 11/14/11 Team meeting – review final report10/8/11 Drop and Whip test prototype 11/21/11 Team meeting – complete final report10/9/11 Team meeting 11/29/11 Final team presentations and report10/13/11 Design modifications if necessary 12/03/11 Design Expo, turn in rev D and team

Videos10/10/11 Team meeting – DD rev C 12/06/11 Turn in hardware

5.0 Budget

Miranda Link shall maintain physical copies of all receipts and giving team Pegasus MSF a budget update every meeting. The total mass and total cost of SatElysium can be found at the bottom of the following table.

ITEM SUPPLIER PRICE WEIGHT (g)

PART # PRICE

US flag Gateway Class Provided to us 1 g - $0Solder Gateway Class Provided to us 1 g - $0

Foam Core Structure Gateway Class Provided to us 156 g

-$0

Velcro Gateway Class Provided to us 6g - $0Hobo Data Logger Gateway Class Provided to us 30 g - $0

Digital Camera Gateway Class Provided to us 130 g - $0Heating system Gateway Class Provided to us 80 g - $0Aluminum Tape Gateway Class Provided to us 5 g - $0

9 volt battery (4) Gateway Class Provided to us188g47/ea

-$0

Flight tube and Washers Gateway Class Provided to us

10g -$0

Arduino Uno SparkFun Electronics $29.95Paid by Gateway 40 g DEV-09950 $29.95



Mini Photocells Sparkfun $4.50 + $15 S&H

Paid by Gateway2 g SEN-09088 $19.50

Pressure Sensor SparkFun Electronics$15.96 +$2 S&H

Paid by Gateway4 g SEN-09694 $17.96

Humidity & Temp. Sensor

SparkFun Electronics $9.95 + $2 S&H 5 g SEN-10167 $11.95

MicroSD shield Sparkfun $17.56 20g DEV-09802 $17.56

Temperature Sensor Sparkfun $3.54Paid By Gateway

2 SEN-09438 $3.54

Styrofoam(didn’t use)

McGuckinHardware $3.24

14460510$3.24

Ardumoto, Stackable heater, screw terminals

Sparkfun $34.74 100 DEV-09815, PRT-09280, PRT-08084

$34.74

Live Strand of Streptococcus

mutans

Ward Science $9.95 + $7.80S&H

Paid by Gateway

1g 851036 $17.75

AGAR Scientific Strategies$40.80 +

$22.17S&HPaid by Gateway

F06-101-500gm $62.97

Stepper Motor (3)

Door

Anaheim Automation $14.38

Paid by Gateway

50 g

1g

TSM20-180-10-5V-

050A-LW4

$43.14

Petri Dish (20)Carolina Biological Supply Company

$8.50 +$17.95 S&H

Paid by Gateway

135 g

45/ea

714330 $27.22

Dry Ice/Cooler Safeway $24.45 - $24.45

Blades McGuckins $2.43 6522710 $2.43

Gluesticks/JB weld McGuckins $5.869000001/9402595 $5.86

Total Gateway = $233.21 Total Group = $88.28 Total Weight = 1005 g

To address the 155 extra grams over the 850 in the mass budget, a written contract was create so that we receive 35 grams from Team 1, 30 grams from Team 5, 50 grams from Team 7, and 40 grams from Team 9.

6.0 Test Plan and ResultsTeam Pegasus MSF will test SatElysium and the technical components of Pegasus

to make sure that all the parts and scientific test material will both be able to launch and to be recovered in working condition. Our testing occurred in two separate phases. All structural tests will use mass simulations made out of rocks and cardboard to avoid damaging hardware.

The first round of testing took place October 7 and consisted of:



Drop Test and Roll Test:Procedure: The drop test shall consisted of us taking our satellite and 1) rolling it down a long flight of stairs, and then 2) dropping it vertically from a height of about 15 meters. The purpose of this test is to show that the spacecraft will survive two conditions of landing; a long, drug-out, bouncy landing, or a flat vertical impact straight into the ground. In each of these trials, the spacecraft was subjected to various orientations to ensure that an impact on virtually any surface will not compromise the results of our experiment.

Result: Our drop test revealed that we needed to be more precise when constructing our actual satellite. This is because when analyzed after the drop test, our satellite revealed that poor cutting lead to walls breaking open at the hinges. This also ties into the results that we found from out whip test because we found out that almost all of our walls were very weak because of the lowered strength of the walls due to the great surface area that they had. Our fix for this was to make sure that we had clean cuts along the corners of our satellite, as well as separate bases for the shelves that would give extra strength.

Our roll test revealed to us that when we implemented the walls into our structure, we didn’t think about the forces that would be exerted on them. In our structure, we always planned to have three sections in the satellite. To secure them, we made small incisions in the walls of the satellite. Doing this dramatically weakened the walls, and in the roll test, the rocks rolled around enough to completely break the walls of the satellite along where the divider walls were set. Our fix for these weak walls were new, separate pieces with pre-cut slots in them for the shelves. We then glued these base strips onto the walls of the satellite and greatly improved the integrity of the walls.

Whip Test:Procedure: The whip test consisted of us taking our satellite and stringing it in the way that it will be tethered to the rest of the satellites on launch day. We then swung the satellite by the tether in circles a various speeds and directions. This test is designed to tell us no only if we need to improve the way our satellite is attached to the tether, but also if our structure can withstand the forces of changing momentum due to the “burst” environment and being whipped around at high speeds because of the tether. During this test, Chris took the SatElysium structure complete with mass simulations made from Styrofoam, attached to 1 meter of rope to a “safe-designated” area, and then subjected the spacecraft to excessive amounts of centripetal force by swinging it around in a circle at speeds excess of 30 mph.



Result: Our whip test was very instrumental in pointing out key flaws in our satellites design. Because we had such wide walls, this meant that there was less structural support towards the middle of each wall, and during our whip test, the wall actually cracked straight down the middle. This happened because we did not use the flight tube during the tests. To fix this, we simply included a base to the wall where the flight tube intersects the wall, added the flight tube and washers and, in our newer design, the wall is smaller (because of weight

problems) meaning it has more structural integrity and will easily survive.

The second set of tests occurred after we had all of our materials gathered and ready to perform the necessary experiments. The Cooler test was the last test that we conducted, as we need the entire completed SatElysium ready to run a full-time data collection trial with all components of the working spacecraft in order. The software/hardware testing occurred repeatedly throughout our entire building process in order to adjust and calibrate various components.

Incubation Test:Procedure: The incubation tests shall consist of us setting out control groups of our bacteria specimens to see how the bacteria will reproduce in a normal, controlled environment. We will accomplish this by setting up a variety of specimens in an environment where we have complete control over humidity, temperature, light exposure and maturity. We will then analyze the data and store it as control information. This will give us a benchmark to what the bacteria will do in a normal environment so that we will have something to compare to the data that we collect post-flight. The actual flight cultures that will be used as the test samples will be sent up slightly immature in order to optimize the window in which the cultures will be more susceptible to difference in conditions and will show its reaction.

Result: See section 7.0 Expected Results. Cooler Test:

Procedure: The cooler test consisted of taking our satellite and placing it into a 15 gallon cooler with 5 pounds of dry ice for the period of a full flight (≈135 minutes or so) while running the experiment as we would on launch day. This included us running our camera, heaters, micro-controller, and data logger to make sure that everything can withstand the extremely cold environment that we are sending the satellite into. We also used an extra temperature sensor at this time to record the temperatures of the isolated compartments on the top of SatElysium to make sure that heat is not leaking out that could compromise the results of our experiment.

Result: Our two cooler test ran for full flight duration, and ran of all of our components simultaneously. In our test, it was observed through our temperature readings that all of our electrical components stayed well above a temperature that



would have hindered their performance, so we full called this test a success. Although we individually re-tested our HOBO sensor because we had it programmed to read the voltage output instead of the External Temperature reading during both tests. Once the HOBO was re-tested, it ran the external temperature perfectly. Because this HOBO test had to be redone, we made sure with Chris Koehler that once we had reprogrammed the HOBO that we didn’t have to do it again because we tested it in the snow, outside, and room temperature, and determined it worked properly.

Software/Hardware Testing:Procedure: The software and hardware tests of our spacecraft entailed of running consistency tests on all of the electrical components of our system. We took multimeters to our circuits and making sure that everything was wired and running properly and that we have maximized the way that we are running current. In addition to making sure that our circuits run correctly, we will be running full length tests with our camera system before it is even implemented into the BalloonSat. This is to make sure that it is taking pictures at 10 second intervals. These tests will be recurring because they have to be calibrated at regular intervals to make sure that the data that we record will be current and precise.

Result: Camera Test- Our camera test was the easiest to do, because everything was pre-programmed by Chris and his staff. Although we had problems with our switch, we got it fixed by installing a new switch into the trigger mechanism of the camera. It ran for the full flight duration with no issue.Arduino / Motor Testing- Our arduino and motor sensors took quite a fair amount of programming and reprogramming because of trial and error. We also had to pin-point when we want the motor to open and close, at 30 minutes and 80 minutes into flight, respectively. The temperature, pressure, and light readings required programming through the Arduino Uno. Each sensor was run at room temperature to attain accurate calibration readings, as well as ran for flight duration during our cooler test with no issue. Data was then stored on the MicroSD shield, then removed and recorded on graphs.



SafetyIn order to ensure the safety of the Pegasus MSF team, the BalloonSat will be constructed and tested with predetermined precautions. All team members will wear gloves and goggles whenever dealing with materials whose temperatures are above or below a normal room temperature range, such as during the cold test or using hot glue. At all times at least two members must be present during lab work at all times to ensure emergency protocol safety. When power tools are used, each team member must know how to use the tool prior to use, or have help from someone else. In addition, tests that require a copious amount of room, such as the whip test, will be conducted outside, in order to avoid damaging walls and providing enough space that team members have a safe environment to work. And of course, no team member will handle bacteria cultures


Photocell reading

Time (s)

Average: 13No Light: 0Absolute Light: 1024

Time (s) Time (s)

Pascal

Temp (*C)

Average: 33.5 degrees Celsius

Open Door

Closed Door

Open Door Closed Door

Average: 83788.67 Pascals


directly. So, bacteria cultures will always be handled indirectly from the exterior of the petri dish. After the flight of SatElysium, bacteria samples will be safely disposed of in the BioServe laboratory.

7.0 Expected ResultsThrough the use of incubations tests as our controls, the desirable conditions that

will be used as a basis for comparison have been gathered. Through the growth of the master culture, culture dishes A-E, we observed the desired results for what a healthy growth of this bacterium should look like. Colonies A and B both represented the conditions of an average/below average growth of these bacteria. The growth followed the contamination streaks without any real expansion. The colonies were each very small, approximately less than a millimeter wide, and had the appearance of being slightly white and translucent. Overall, after three days of growth, these cultures overall showed mediocre growth. Culture C was left for an additional four days of growth to double check that the full growth of these cultures at 37C is truly after three days of maturing. Cultures D and E both showed the overall best growth where the bacteria was able to expand from the contamination streaking and they were also able to produce the largest colonies. These results are going to be used as the backing for what at completely healthy culture should look like. In order to obtain the best results, the flight bacteria will be flown slightly immature in order to open a larger window for response from the bacteria. Being slightly immature, the bacteria will be more responsive towards changes in environment and thus will show more drastic results.

We expect to find that the bacteria will be resilient enough to survive in the harsh environment. Since our satellite will have three separate environments for testing, there is a real chance of seeing a change between each environment. However, since anaerobic bacteria are very hardy, they will likely show no response to exposure to these harsh environments. In other words, observing no change in the bacteria during our mission is considered a successful mission for SatElysium, for we can conclude that bacteria do indeed survive harsh conditions.

8.0 Launch and Recovery

November 6, 2011, Launch Day Logistics: Prior to launch:

1. Transport petri dishes from lab space to launch site in insulated, heated bags.2. Seal petri dishes with glue seal.3. Secure petri dishes inside satellite.4. Seal satellite door with glue and aluminum tape5. Flip switches before launch (microcontroller, camera, and heater)6. Brenden Hogan shall launch SatElysium



Launch: 1. Brenden Hogan shall launch SatElysium. 2. Chris Dehoyos shall photograph launch.

Post launch: 1. Jordan Burns is responsible for retrieving SatElysium2. Once retrieved, the door of the satellite shall be opened and the bacteria samples

shall be removed. 3. The bacteria samples shall be transferred directly into a heated, insulated bag for

transport back to the lab at CU.4. The bacteria samples shall be place in the incubator immediately upon return to

CU, and shall be allowed to grow for 2 more days.

Data Retrieval1. The micro-SD card shall be removed from the satellite, and input into the team

laptop. This drive contains flight data from the on board pressure, temperature, and visible light radiation detector. All data shall be removed from the SD card, and copied into Excel, and charted. We shall record temperature, pressure, and radiation as a function of flight time, and determine the maximum and minimum values each sensor recorded during flight to understand the environment the bacteria was exposed to.

2. The HOBO shall be input into the team laptop, and the external and internal temperature and humidity during flight shall be graphed versus time. We will compare this to the data our other on board sensors received.

3. After the 2 day incubation period, the bacteria cultures shall be analyzed. The growth of each flight sample shall be inspected for alterations compared to the ground samples that were grown in our controlled lab environment. If an increase or decrease in colony size, change in color, or shape is observed, compared to the characteristics of the control sample at 4 days’ time, it can be concluded what factors affected their growth. After, the samples shall be disposed of in the BioServe’s bio-waste disposal bin.

Our date retrieval methods have all been tested. The graphs in section 6.0, and photos in section 7.0 show that we are capable of retrieving meaningful data off of our micro-SD card, and that our ground control bacteria samples have been fully grown properly.


1.0 mission overviewspacegrant.colorado.edu/cosgc_projects/space/fall_2011... · web viewour...

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