2009 Bridging the Gap to Space

The Micro-Instrumentation Package: A Solution for Lightweight Ballooning Created by Jill Juneau Presented by Dwayne Orr

Consolidated Instrumentation Package (CIP) • Used for systems in range of Line of Sight (LOS) lasting hours up to a few days • Battery powered, lasting up to several days • • TM Uplink – 1200 Baud UHF Uplink – 77 Discrete Relay Drivers – 16 Bit Parallel Data Word TM Downlinks – VCO’s IRIG 7, 8, 9, B, E, HH – GPS Position / Pressure Altitude – FAA Transponder – L/S Band Transmitters • NTSC Video • Up to 1Mbit Bi-phase Science Data • ≈ 100 pounds with the termination system

Support Instrumentation Package (SIP) • Used for Long Duration flights needing Over the Horizon Communications • Line Of Sight Communications – Telemetry Transmitter up to 1 Mbps • Over the Horizon Communications – NASA’s TDRSS – 6 kbps Omni Antenna – NASA’s TDRSS – 92 kbps High Gain Antenna – Iridium – 2kbps through dialup • Solar Panel Power System and Backup Batteries • ≈ 400 lbs with solar panel and termination system

What is the MIP?

• The MIP is a lightweight Over the Horizon telemetry and termination system that in its full up configuration can provide safe operation of a balloon flight including data downlink/uplink, termination, parachute cutaway, and ballasting

Benefits of a Lightweight Cost Effective Telemetry System • The Micro Instrumentation Package (MIP) is great for scientists who: – Want to use a lightweight payload on small balloons for lower costs and/or disposable flights – Want to use a lightweight payload on a large balloon for higher altitudes – Need a NASA approved Over the Horizon lightweight telemetry system to safely operate the balloon flight • The MIP does have very limited data rates compared with CSBF’s other telemetry systems - the trade off is weight and cost

History of the MIP development and test flights • Early 2006 - First electronic development started • During summer and fall of 2007 – 3 piggyback flights on CSBF flights and 7 test flights conducted using 3000 gram balloons that burst at 100k feet • Spring 2008 - Two full up test flights with full flight trains • After the 2 successful full up test flights, the MIP was qualified as a NASA flight system

MIP Test Flights

Microcontroller PCB – The central unit of the MIP • Designed by CSBF • Uses Microchip Pic18F8722 • Programmed in C • Features located on board – 22 Analog inputs – 16 digital inputs – 30 digital outputs – 6 serial ports • Line Of Sight port • Iridium port • GPS port • Cross over commanding or external stack input • Diagnostics port • Science data port

MICROCONTROLLER PCB

RS232 COMMANDS IRIDIUM SBD COMMANDS IRIDIUM SBD DATA PACKETS ISO SCIENCE DATA ISO SCIENCE COMMAND AART INTERFACE RS232 DIAGNOSTIC PORT GPS RECEIVER 22 - ANALOG INPUTS 16 - DIGITAL INPUTS 30 COMMAND OUTPUTS PRIMARY LOS TRANSCEIVER IRIDIUM LBT STACK TEMPERATURES & POWER MONITORS

RELAY PCB

RELAY STATUS COMMANDS MIP RELAYS SCIENCE RELAY DRIVER PCB LOS ANTENNA IRIDIUM ANTENNA SCIENCE PACKAGE GPS ANTENNA

Microcontroller PCB – The central unit of the MIP • Advantages of microcontroller board – Inexpensive parts (microcontroller costs $10) – Low power – 120 mA at 9 V with GPS unit running – Board footprint is small (4.25” x 4.25”) – Can be used for many different CSBF applications – Many timers and parameters are programmable during flight – Operates over wide range of temperatures and performs well in a vacuum environment

MIP Configurations – Antarctica Pathfinder • Used to verify satellite derived wind data acting as an Over the Horizon sonde • Provides basic GPS information and temperature data • Consists of CSBF Microcontroller PCB, Iridium SBD modem 9601, and battery • System has been used successfully the last 2 seasons in Antarctica

MIP Configurations – Antarctica Pathfinder • Steady State power = 1.2 Watts • The 9601 Iridium modem uses Short Burst Data only • To save power Iridium modem is put into power standby when not used • In Previous flights the system weighed 4 pounds and lasted for 5 days with once every 30 minute transmission • New configuration will weigh less than 5 pounds and provide for 10 days of flight with once every 30 minute transmission rates

Video of a Pathfinder Launch

MIP Configurations – Backup Navigation System • • • Used as the third redundant GPS system on long duration flights with a Support Instrumentation Package (SIP) Provides basic GPS information and SIP critical housekeeping parameters Consists of CSBF Microcontroller PCB, Iridium SBD modem, DC/DC Converter and is powered from the SIP

MIP Configurations – Full Up System Functions • Redundant Microcontroller Boards with crossover commanding • Redundant LOS Transceivers • Redundant SBD Iridium Units • Dial-Up capability on one modem • Redundant GPS receivers • Redundant DC/DC converter Boards • 3 MKS Pressure Sensors • 1 for each range • 2 Science Interface Ports

MIP Configurations – Full Up System Functions • Burst Detect and Minimum Altitude Circuits • Ballast Valve Circuit controlled independent of software • Each microcontroller board redundantly monitors termination, parachute cutaway, and valve information • Redundant termination firing circuits and Helium Valve • Parachute Cutaway System

MIP Data Rates

LOS • LOS transceiver UHF frequency • MIP packet once every 15 seconds • Science packet up to 255 bytes once every 30 seconds • Commands can be received at any time • Science can add LOS telemetry transmitter (up to 1 Mbps) with tradeoff of more batteries OTH • Iridium Short Burst Data • MIP packet once a minute • Commands received when packet is sent • Science packet up to 255 bytes once every few minutes • Future capability to have dial up available for science data

Comparison of Data Rates for CSBF systems

Description (Data Types) Consolidated Instrumentation Package (CIP) Support Instrumentation Package (SIP) Micro-Instrumentation Package (MIP)

LOS Data Rate Iridium Short Burst (OTH) Up to 1 Mbps (Continuous) N/A Iridium Dial Up (OTH) N/A TDRSS Omni Antenna (OTH) N/A TDRSS High Gain Antenna (OTH) N/A Up to 1 Mbps (Continuous) 255 byte packet once every 15 minutes 255 bytes once every 30 secs.

(Option for Up to 1 Mbps-Continuous) 255 byte packet once every few minutes (programmable) Up to 2 kbps (Continuous) 250 bytes per second Up to 6kbps (Continuous) 750 bytes per second Up to 92kbps (Continuous) 11,500 bytes per second Development not completed for science data N/A N/A

MIP Power Consumption and Weight

• MIP Enclosure steady state power [email protected] = 14W • When transmitting LOS Current spikes shortly above 1A • When Dialed up Iridium current spikes up to .75A

• Can achieve lower power consumption depending on the configuration • Can operate on batteries or solar panel system • The MIP electronic enclosure weighs 20 pounds without batteries • A 10 lb. 30 amp hour battery pack will last approximately 2 days • 6 day flight – 50 lbs. of electronics and batteries

Science Interface

Success with the Full Up MIP System - Summer 2008 • Super Pressure Balloon Test Flight • Launched in Ft. Sumner, New Mexico • 2 million cubic feet balloon • MIP provided telemetry of the balloon location and termination of the flight

Success with the Full Up MIP System - Summer 2008 • Flight from Sweden to Canada lasting 4 days 9 hours • 11 million cubic feet balloon • MIP operated termination and parachute cutaway • System powered from batteries • Science Interface used to transmit science payload charge controller information

Success with the Full Up MIP System - Winter 2008 - 2009 • Super Pressure Balloon Test Flight – Launched from McMurdo Station, Antarctica – Flight Duration: over 54 days – 7 million cubic feet balloon – MIP powered by small solar panel system – MIP operated flight including flight termination and parachute cutaway

Video of SPB launch

Success with the Full Up MIP System - Summer 2009 • Flight from Sweden to Canada lasting 4 days 11 hours • 39 million cubic feet balloon • MIP operated termination and parachute cutaway • System powered from batteries • Science Interface used to transmit science payload charge controller information

Upcoming campaigns Antarctica 2009-2010 • BARREL – MIP Pathfinder with terminate firing circuit used as a redundant method of balloon communication and cut down – 5 Test flights using .3 million cubic feet size balloon – Total payload weight 70 lbs. – MIP powered from BARREL solar panel system and backup battery – Hand launch system

Video of BARREL Test Launch

Thank you for your attendance Questions and Comments?

Video Of LEE launch

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