BOREALIS HASP ProjectBOREALIS HASP Project

Passive High Altitude Particle Passive High Altitude Particle Capture ExperimentCapture Experiment

What is HASP?What is HASP?

HASP = High Altitude Student PlatformHASP = High Altitude Student PlatformNASA-fundedNASA-fundedOperated by Louisiana State UniversityOperated by Louisiana State UniversityZero-pressure balloon platformZero-pressure balloon platformDesigned to float at ~120,000 feet for 20 Designed to float at ~120,000 feet for 20

hourshoursOne launch per yearOne launch per yearRoom for twelve student experimentsRoom for twelve student experiments

The HASP PlatformThe HASP Platform

• HASP is a 2000 pound payload

• Carried by an 11 million cubic foot zero pressure balloon

Scientific GoalsScientific Goals•To capture and verify particles of cosmic To capture and verify particles of cosmic originorigin•Balloon flights captured the first cosmic dust Balloon flights captured the first cosmic dust material and are similar to the NASA ER-2 material and are similar to the NASA ER-2 flightsflights•Cometary dust gives us information about the Cometary dust gives us information about the formation of our solar system 4.6 billion years formation of our solar system 4.6 billion years ago and about the very edges of the solar ago and about the very edges of the solar systemsystem•Possible capture of material from known Possible capture of material from known Trans-Neptunian ObjectsTrans-Neptunian Objects

BOREALIS’ InvolvementBOREALIS’ Involvement First proposal submitted in First proposal submitted in

Fall 2006.Fall 2006. Our experiment: a device to Our experiment: a device to

capture stratospheric dust capture stratospheric dust and return it for analysis.and return it for analysis.

Special emphasis on cosmic Special emphasis on cosmic dust (extraterrestrial origin)dust (extraterrestrial origin)

First flight: September 2007First flight: September 2007 Second flight: September Second flight: September

20082008 Possibility of additional flightsPossibility of additional flights

Experiment DesignExperiment Design Dual separate containment Dual separate containment

areasareas Operates via uplinked Operates via uplinked

commandscommands The box has an o-ring seal to The box has an o-ring seal to

prevent contaminationprevent contamination Silicone oil coated Plexiglas Silicone oil coated Plexiglas

plates are contained in the boxplates are contained in the box Capture Plates and fluid are Capture Plates and fluid are

optically clear for imagingoptically clear for imaging Prepared in a clean room facilityPrepared in a clean room facility

Student InvolvementStudent Involvement

11 students have participated in HASP 11 students have participated in HASP Nate Martin, Jennifer Hane, Michael Lenander, Nate Martin, Jennifer Hane, Michael Lenander, Theresa Theresa

Lannen, Kyle Crawford, Dylan Larson, Lannen, Kyle Crawford, Dylan Larson, Gordon Nelson, David Gordon Nelson, David Wax, Andrew Marx, Wax, Andrew Marx,

Jayson Nissen and Clark KoganJayson Nissen and Clark Kogan

5 Students have traveled to 4 locations5 Students have traveled to 4 locationsColumbia Scientific Balloon Facility - Palestine, TXColumbia Scientific Balloon Facility - Palestine, TX

Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility – Fort Sumner, NMColumbia Scientific Balloon Facility – Fort Sumner, NM

Johnson Space CenterJohnson Space Center

NASA - AMESNASA - AMES

Travel to JSCTravel to JSC

Several BOREALIS Several BOREALIS members traveled to members traveled to the Cosmic Dust Lab at the Cosmic Dust Lab at Johnson Space CenterJohnson Space Center

We learned about the We learned about the particle capture and particle capture and analysis processanalysis process

Many of the second Many of the second flight’s improvements flight’s improvements were based on were based on knowledge gained hereknowledge gained here

AnalysisAnalysis Particles are first Particles are first

removed from the oilremoved from the oil Particles are imaged Particles are imaged

and analyzed with an and analyzed with an FEM microscope in the FEM microscope in the ICAL facility at MSUICAL facility at MSU

Particles are Particles are categorized based on categorized based on composition and composition and morphologymorphology

4 X 6 µm granular particle

Particle CharacterizationParticle CharacterizationChemical AnalysisChemical Analysis

Magenta - particle spectrumBlue - background spectrum

5-micron sphere

Aluminum oxide particle - solid rocket exhaust

Goals for Ongoing WorkGoals for Ongoing WorkComplete the analysis of samples from the Complete the analysis of samples from the

first flightfirst flightDevelop more reliable criteria by which to Develop more reliable criteria by which to

identify dust of extraterrestrial originidentify dust of extraterrestrial originRetrieve and analyze samples from the Retrieve and analyze samples from the

second flightsecond flightPrepare for a third flight with an upgraded Prepare for a third flight with an upgraded

designdesign

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

Montana Space Grant ConsortiumMontana Space Grant Consortium

Berk Knighton, Bill Hiscock, Angela Des Jardins, Glenda Berk Knighton, Bill Hiscock, Angela Des Jardins, Glenda WinslowWinslow

Johnson Space Center and NASA - AMESJohnson Space Center and NASA - AMES

Jack Warren, Michael Zolenski, Petrus JenniskensJack Warren, Michael Zolenski, Petrus Jenniskens

Montana State UniversityMontana State University

The ICAL facility staff, Dave Mogk, Phil HimmerThe ICAL facility staff, Dave Mogk, Phil Himmer

Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University

Greg Guzik, Michael StewartGreg Guzik, Michael Stewart