Measuring Radiation as a

Function of Altitude Using a Hybrid

Rocket Platform

Harding University Flying Bison 2010 USLI Team

Team Official Project Progress Manager Safety Officer

Edmond Wilson Cortney, Mgr. Edmond Wilson

Airframe Motor Science Payload Avionics Launch

Operations Recovery Outreach

Greg, Mgr.

Matt G., Mgr.

Darah, Mgr.

Chi, Mgr.

Matt I., Mgr.

Patrick, Mgr.

Elizabeth, Mgr.

Elizabeth Libby Chi Hunter Matt G. Shailer Cortney

Libby Josh Libby Lisa Meredith Hunter Nathan

Hunter Lisa Elizabeth Patrick Josh Meredith

Matt G. Nathan Cortney Shailer

April Hunter

Mission Statement Design, build, test and fly a high powered

hybrid rocket Reach exactly an altitude of 5280 feet Carry a science payload to measure alpha,

beta and gamma radiation as a function of altitude

Measure temperature, pressure and x-, y-, z- acceleration during the flight

Complete such activities without damage to life and property

Recover rocket vehicle in a reusable condition

This presentation includes reports from: Airframe Division Motor Division Science Payload Division Avionics Division Launch Operations Division Recovery Division Outreach Division

Airframe Division ReportGreg, Manager

Team MembersElizabethLibbyHunterMatt G.

Harding Flying Bison 2010 USLI Competition Rocket

Vehicle Dimensions General Dimensions:

◦ 90.3” total length◦ 4.09” OD, 3.9” ID◦ 16.8” nose cone◦ ~7.5” boattail

No transitions or irregular protrusions are present along the airframe.

Airframe Division

Fin Dimensions Aft Fin Set (Trapezoidal):

◦ 4” semi span◦ 8” root chord◦ 4” tip chord

Mid Fin Set (Triangular):◦ 4” semi span◦ 6.5” root chord

RockSim V9 Simulation

Vehicle Materials The vehicle body is composed of pre-

fiberglassed phenolic tubing, avalible from Public Missiles.◦ Material weighs more than standard phenolic or

Quantum tubing.◦ Overall integrity of the airframe will be greatly

improved.◦ K888 motor allows for extra weight.

Vehicle Materials All bulkheads and centering rings are

composed of 5-ply aircraft plywood. The 75mm motor mount tube is composed

of phenolic tubing. Both sets of fins are composed of G10

fiberglass, available from PML.◦ Fins will be mounted using through-the-wall

method, and reinforced with carbon fiber and fiberglass cloth.

Static Stability Margin CP: 58.16” from nose CG: 51.94” from nose Stability Margin:

◦ 6.22”◦ 1.55 body calibers◦ Overstable within the desired margin.

Vehicle Safety Testing Plans for component verification:

◦ Tensile strength testing of all load-bearing components of the recovery system (excluding the parachutes).

◦ Compression strength testing of airframe tubing and other relevant components.

◦ Ejection charge testing. Test launch of both scale model and full

launch vehicle are planned.

Motor Division ReportMatt G., Manager

Team MembersLibbyJoshLisa

Motor Selection Contrail Rockets Certified K-888-BM Hybrid

Motor with medium nozzle◦ 2050 cm3 N2O Tank◦ 10 in Combustion Chamber◦ 40 in long ◦ Fuel Grain – Medium Black◦ Total weight 4173 g◦ Total impulse 2400 N.m◦ Average Thrust 895 N◦ Maximum Thrust 3024 N◦ Burn time 2.67 seconds

Motor Justification We have several years of hybrid rocket

motor sensor development We are able to further our research on

hybrid rocket motor exhaust plume characterization

Increased safety and more friendly on the environment than the traditional solid motor

Potential uses for delivering payloads in low Earth orbit

Science Payload Division Report Darah , Manager

Team MembersChiLibbyElizabeth Nathan

The primary mission of the Payload Division is to measure alpha, beta, and gamma radiation as a function of altitude using a Geiger radiation sensor.

Our secondary mission is to measure temperature, atmospheric pressure, and acceleration in the x, y, and z direction.

Payload Mission

Radiation is a concern of every day life.

Radiation levels approximately double for every 5000 feet in altitude.

This can be a serious problem for travel in jet aircraft or rockets low to Earth orbit.

Radiation is harmful to both humans and electronic equipment.

Single Event Phenomena, or SEP, can cause burnout of electrical circuits of bit flips in logic circuits. These are serious problems.

Science Background

There is little data concerning radiation available for suborbital space.

Surface Radiation – 14 Counts per second

Increases many fold due to environmental factors

Cosmic radiation affects power grids and communication satellites.

Our rocket will travel to 1 mile high. We expect the radiation level to be approximately twice what it would be at sea level.

Alpha rays are high speed helium nuclei. They are the least penetrating type of radiation. They can be stopped with a single sheet of paper or a few centimeters of air.

Beta rays are high speed electrons. They are more penetrating than alpha rays.

Gamma rays are particles of energy and are the most penetrating. They can penetrate several centimeters of steel or hundreds of meters of air.

Radiation Types Measured

1. Geiger radiation sensor 2. X, Y, and Z accelerometer 3. Pressure Sensor 4. Temperature Sensor 5. AVR® Microcontroller

Components of the Payload

The experiment is to measure radiation using a Geiger radiation sensor.

A g-switch will initiate data collection at the time of launch.

The data from the Geiger counter will be digitized and stored in the memory of an embedded computer.

Summary of Experiment

Radiation events closer than 2 milliseconds will not be recorded. We will be measuring alpha, beta, and gamma radiation.

We will primarily be measuring beta and gamma radiation.

Only the highest energy alpha particles will be detected through our experiments.

Summary of Experiment, cont.

The Geiger Counter used in our payload is the GCK-05 from Images SI, Inc.

It will detect the following radiation: Alpha particles above 3.0 MeV Beta particles above 50 KeV Gamma particles above 7 KeV

The Radiation Sensor

National Semiconductor LM50CIM3 transducer

Reads directly in degrees C (10mV/⁰C)

Nonlinearity is less than 0.8 ⁰C over its temperature range of -40 ⁰C to +125 ⁰C

The accuracy at 25 ⁰C is  ±2% of the reading

Temperature Transducer

ASDX015A25R Honeywell device

Measuring range of 0 to 15 psi

Burst pressure of 30 psi

Operates in temperature ranges from -20⁰C to +105⁰C

Pressure Transducer

3 Accelerometers:

One 1-axis low range accelerometer and two 2-axis accelerometers

All accelerometer devices have an output full-scale range of 37g

Operational range of -40⁰C to +105⁰C

Maximum rating of 4000g acceleration for any axis

Accelerometer

Before the competition flight in April, our team plans to conduct experiments in the laboratory using known radioactive samples to calibrate the Geiger counter and ensure that it is functioning properly.

It is especially important to calibrate the Geiger counter so that our results will be as accurate as possible.

We must also calibrate the pressure sensor, temperature sensor, and the accelerometers.

Experimental Plans

Personnel hazards include:

Injury to eyes or hands while machining payload parts. All will wear protective eyewear and instruction on preventing injury to the body during work periods will be conducted repeatedly for each phase of the work.

Proper use of hand tools will be explained as needed for each process undertaken.

Instruction on how to solder properly will be given when electrical circuits are being assembled.

No chemicals are used in constructing or operating the payload.

Safety Considerations

All components of the science payload and its power source will fit inside a 12 inch coupler with a 3.78 inch inner diameter.

Power switches, LED indicators and connectors to the various computers will be through the middle of the coupler tube wall.

A ring of airframe tubing glued to the middle of the coupler will reinforce this connection area.

Science Payload Integration

Safely recover all components of the science payload in operable condition

We must gather, retrieve, and store data from the entire flight of the rocket.

Success Criteria

Avionics Division ReportChi, Manager

Team MembersHunterPatrickLisa

Missions for Avionics Division

To deploy parachutes at desired altitude for a safe recovery process.

To obtain information about the flight regarding the maximum altitude, velocity and acceleration of the rocket.

Primary Altimeter

PerflectFlite – MiniAlt/WD • A – Altitude Sensor

• B – Speaker for Post-flight report

• C – Port to PC for data transferring

• D – Non-volatile memory

• E – Igniter for parachute deployment

• F – Deployment altitude control

Primary Flight Computer

G-Wiz MC2

• Pyro output: • Fire at Apogee using accelerometer data or

barometric data.• Programmable fire at low altitude

• Status LED and speakers to signal readiness at launch and provide flight information after landing.

• USB connection for data transferring

Launch Division ReportMatt I., Manager

Team MembersMatt G.MeredithShailerJosh

No Report at this Time

Recovery Division ReportPatrick, Manager

Team MembersHunterShailer

G-Wiz MC2 Flight Computer

The flight computer will send a code to the igniters which will then set off the charges at the programmed altitudes.

G-Wiz will also serve as our backup recording Altimeter.

PerfectFlite miniAltimeter PerfectFlite miniAltitmeter will be used as

our primary altimeter. It will also serve as our backup flight

computer in case the G-Wiz fails.

Parachutes Drogue Parachute:

◦ 24” Classic II Sky Angle Parachute ◦ Deploys at Apogee◦ Weighs 6 ounces

Main Parachute:◦ 60” Classic II Sky Angle Parachute ◦ Deploys at 800 feet◦ Weighs 18.2 ounces

Outreach Division ReportElizabeth, Manager

Team MembersCortneyNathanMeredithShailerHunter

Educational Outreach Westside Elementary School in Searcy, Ar. (conduct a rocket launch with

1st grade students) Arkansas Space Grant Consortium (Team does Oral or Poster presentations) Ouachita Council of Girl Scouts of America in Bradford, Ar. (GSA Troop

76) Quapaw Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America Mid-South Rocket Society NAR Secton #550 (NAR section is our

mentoring sponsoring section) Jack Frederick/Raytheon/Rockets – STEM topics Rocket display in Harding University Library Do Chapel announcement at Harding University Put up a poster section up in the Pryor – England Science and Engineering

Building in the Main Lobby in April Matt built portable and fixed launch stands for our rocket team

Educational Outreach We have solicited the support and help of Mr. David Stair (retired NASA

model maker ) plan to ask BEI Systems and Space Division to Sponsor us and give us

technical support (Little Rock, Ar.) we have sought to get to know the key scientists and engineers at NASA

centers who are involved in rocket research we visit with the rocket scientists and engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center and at University of Alabama at Huntsville in June 2009

The End

We acknowledge the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium, ASGC, for funding this project.