RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

Harding Flying Bison ROCKSAT-C Team

Conceptual Design Review

Harding UniversityEd Wilson, Mentor, Will Waldron, Student 2,

Student 33 Oct 2011

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RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

1. Mission Overview – Mission Statement

Design, build, test and fly a spectrometer that will measure transmission spectra of gases in Earth’s atmosphere at lower altitudes and the Sun’s irradiance at higher altitudes

Interpret these spectra and compare them with previously published spectra

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RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

1. Mission Statement – Science Questions

1. Can we determine the temperature, pressure and number density of the gases measured as a function of altitude?

2. What gases can be identified in the atmosphere in the region of the flight trajectory?

3. What molecules can be identified in the Solar Spectrum at higher altitudes?

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RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

1. Mission Overview – Theory

Sunlight can be used as the optical light source in obtaining transmission spectra of Earth’s atmosphere

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SunAtmospheric GasesSpectrometerComputer withData Storage

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RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

1. Mission Overview -- Theory

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is the intensity of radiation of frequency,

is the intensity of radiation incident on the sample

, after

passing through the sample

is the absorption cross section at frequency,

N is the number of absorbing molecules per unit volume

L is the path length of the sample

The transmittance of light through a sample obeys the Beer-Lambert Law

RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

1. Mission Overview – Mission Requirements

Optical port on rocket through which spectra can be obtained

Sensitive spectrometer with computer interfacing capabilities equipped with light gathering fiber optic cable and lens

Embedded computer to operate the instrument and store the data

Software to control the measurement and data storage Adequate electrical power to operate instrumentation and

computer

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RockSat-C 2011

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1. Mission Overview – Operations

Design payload using SolidWorks

Choose embedded computer

Design and build electronicsg-switch with circuitpower distribution systemsignal conditioning circuitphotodetector feedback circuit

Interface computer with spectrometer

Carry out machining to construct payload chassis

Integrate payload with ROCKSAT-C canister

Carry out exhaustive testing

Integrate ROCKSAT-C canister with NASA rocket vehicle

Launch rocket and recover payload

Interpret data and report results

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RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

ConOps

t ≈ 1.3 min

Altitude: 75 km

t ≈ 15 min

Splash Down

t ≈ 1.7 min

Altitude: 95 km

-G switch triggered

-All systems on

-Begin data collection

t = 0 min

t ≈ 4.0 min

Altitude: 95 km

Apogee

t ≈ 2.8 min

Altitude: ≈115 km

End of Orion Burn

t ≈ 0.6 min

Altitude: 52 km

t ≈ 4.5 min

Altitude: 75 km

Altitude

t ≈ 5.5 min

Chute Deploys

We will take data beginning at launch and lasting for 15 minutes

RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

1. Mission Overview – Expected Results

1. Recover payload, dry and intact, after splashdown2. Download meaningful data from the instrument3. Identify several gases by their spectra and plot their

altitude versus abundance profileoxygenwater vaporozone

4. Fit the lineshapes of the spectra to mathematical models to determine Doppler and pressure broadening

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RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

2. Design Overview – RockSat-C 2011 User’s Guide Compliance

Careful attention will be paid to the center of gravity, weight

requirements and electrical regulations as detailed in the RockSat 2012 Payload Canister User’s Guide

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RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

2. Design Overview – Shared Can Logistics

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We are looking for a partner – we prefer the top 4.5 inches ofthe canister but can locate in the bottom half of the canister as well.

We will need clear access to the optical port on the rocket shell

RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

3. Management – Team Organization

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Team Organization

Harding Flying Bison Rocket Team will consist of one faculty mentor,three undergraduate science or engineering students and one technician

The students will participate in all aspects of the project in order for them to gain valuable experience working through a complete engineering project.

RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

3. Management – Schedule

Schedule

9/9/11 Deadline to submit Intent to Fly Form9/14/11 Initial Down Selections Made10/3/11 Conceptual Design Review (CoDR) Due10/4/11 Conceptual Design Review (CoDR) Teleconference10/17/11 Earnest Payment of $1,000 Due10/17/11 Online Progress Report 1 Due10/26/11 Preliminary Design Review (PDR) Due10/27/11 Preliminary Design Review (PDR) Teleconference11/14/11 Online Progress Report 2 Due11/30/11 Critical Design Review (CDR) Due12/1/11 Critical Design Review (CDR) Teleconference1/9/12 Final Down Select - Flights Awarded

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RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

3. Management – Budget

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Item Amount Total

Canister & FeeS 7000 7000

Travel & lodging for launch week 1800/person 7200

Student Fellowship 8 weeks at 40 hr/wk

4000/student 12000

Materials & Components 1500 1500

Total $27,700

RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

3. Mentors – Faculty and Industry

Dr. Edmond Wilson, Professor of Chemistry at Harding University will be the team mentor. He has had one year of previous experience with ROCKSAT-C in addition to attending an earlier RockOn workshop.

Aerospace companies in Camden, AR will be solicited for mentoring and for financial support of this project.

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RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

4. Conclusions

The mission goal is to measure the transmission spectra of gases in Earth’s atmosphere at lower altitudes and the Sun’s irradiance at higher altitudes.

The results will aid in moving forward another project whose goal is to place a spectrometer onboard a robotic rover on the surface of Mars. The Earth’s atmosphere at higher altitudes has the same densities, pressures and temperatures as that on Mars.

The main challenges are to design a robust, sensitive feedback circuit to adjust the light entering the spectrometer to the optimum level so that no data is lost due to too much or too little light.

The toughest challenge is to find funding to be able to carry out this project to a successful conclusion.

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RockSat-C 2011

CoDR

The End

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RockSat-C 2012 Conceptual Design Review