The HASP Program for Student Built Aerospace Experiments

T.G. Guzik and J. P. Wefel Dept. of Physics & Astronomy and Louisiana Space Consortium, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA U.S.A.

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 1

The Primary Problem

How do we get from … LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 2

Programs in this series

• • •

Louisiana Aerospace Catalyst Experiences for Students (LaACES)

– Entry level uses small payloads (~500 g) with sounding balloon “vehicle” – 2006-2007 is the fourth year of operation • LSU (10 students, extramural), UNO (5 students, one credit), LaTech (11 students, laboratory course), McNeese (6 students, extramural), SU (4 students, extramural)

Physics & Aerospace Catalyst Experiences for Students (PACER)

– Focus on establishing LaACES-like programs at HBCU institutions – Bring teams to LSU for 9-week intensive summer workshop – Mentor institutions during academic year – New start next summer, proposal pending at NSF

High Altitude Student Platform (HASP)

– For advanced undergraduates and graduates – Support student “thesis” projects – Developed here with support from BOR, LaSPACE, Department, and College LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 3

Build Practical Research Skills

• First need to establish the technical skills – Semi-formal “Student Ballooning Course” guides this process – 33 lectures in electronics, programming, design and management – 33 hands-on activities illustrate all the basic concepts – Takes place over fall semester • Next need to apply these skills – Develop an experiment from “scratch” – Must have real science content • no “cockroaches” allowed!

– Go through all project phases • design, development, fabrication, testing, operation – Series of reviews (written and oral) check progress – Takes place over spring semester – Science results presented after flight • Skills apply to all S & E research fields.

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 4

Major HASP Features

• Support & flight test up to 12 student built payloads – Eight small payloads < 1 kg & four large payloads < 10 kg – Fly to an altitude > 36 km for a duration of ~20 hours • Provide payloads with serial uplink/downlink, discretes, 28 VDC power, & analog downlink – Downlink available in near real time • Include CosmoCam for real time video during launch & flight • NASA partnership supports three flights – First flight September 4, 2006 – Two more flights, once a year LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 5

Student Payload Interface

• Small and large versions are identical except for size – Base is 6 mm thick PVC plate with bolt hole in each corner for mounting plate to HASP – DB9 connector provides RS-232 serial communication – EDAC 516 connector provides +28 VDC power, two analog downlink channels and two discrete command channels • Serial connection provides two way real time communication – Downlink at up to 4800 baud – Uplink serial commands to student payload • Mounting plate with wiring pigtail and document provided to each student payload group – Students can mount and wire as they please within the allowed region – HASP wiring harness attaches to connectors and plate is bolted to frame during integration • Small version for 15 cm x 15 cm (footprint) x 30 cm (tall), 1 kg payloads • Large version for 38 cm x 38 cm (footprint) x 30 cm (tall), 10 kg payloads LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 6

Fly out of Ft. Sumner NM

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 7

On-site Assembly & Testing

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 8

Launch Day – Sept 4, 2006

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 9

HASP Launched at 15:51 UTC

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 10

18 hour flight, 15 at float

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 11

Little damage on recovery

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 12

Student Payloads

• • • • • • This year HASP flew 8 student payloads from 4 institutions and students are in the early stages of analyzing their results.

University of Alabama – Huntsville:

– Infrared telescopes to remotely study the thermal characteristics of the balloon envelope (4 small payloads)

Texas A & M University:

– Video camera system to study remote sensing from high altitude (1 small)

University of Louisiana – Lafayette:

– Nuclear emulsion stack to investigate high energy cosmic rays (1 large)

Louisiana State University (Mechanical Eng.):

– Study the flow characteristics of various rocket nozzles as a function of altitude (1 large payload)

Louisiana State University (Physics):

– Prototype of an accelerometer based inertial navigation system (1 small) LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 13

Very preliminary results

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 14

Call for Payloads 2006-2007

• Next HASP flight scheduled for Sept. 2007 • Student teams need to submit applications by Dec. 15, 2006 • CFP document and application materials is available on the “Participant Info” tab of the HASP website - http://laspace.lsu.edu/hasp/Participantinfo.html

• Would also highly recommend downloading and reading the other documents referenced on this page – Provide background information and details that will help your students design a successful HASP payload.

– “HASP – Student Payload Interface Document” – “Balloon Flight Users Handbook” (CSBF website) – “Gondola Design” (CSBF website) LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 15

Application Structure

• The application should include at least the following sections –

Cover sheet:

Form is provided in the CFP as well as a separate link on the HASP website to a MS Word version. Includes title, abstract and contact information –

Payload Description:

experiment.

One or two page summary of the scientific objective, a high level systems description and a description of the principle of operation of the –

Management:

operations.

Who is involved in the team, how the team is structured and managed, organization chart, preliminary timeline leading to HASP integration and flight, how many personnel will be involved in integration and flightline –

Payload Specifications:

flight operations.

Detail HASP resources (weight, dimensions, telemetry, commanding, power) required by the experiment, procedures for integration and –

Drawings:

Dimensioned drawings of the payload, structure, payload plate modifications, payload orientation and location • No budget is required as we will not be distributing any direct support funds.

• Use standard 12 pt font and at least 1” margins, but otherwise there is no limit on the number of pages, appendixes, figures, or tables.

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 16

Submission Instructions

• E-mail PDF version of application to [email protected]

• Mail hardcopy of application to T. Gregory Guzik Department of Physics & Astronomy Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, LA 70803-4001 • Applications will be reviewed by HASP Management at LSU and the NASA Balloon Program Office – Applications will be reviewed for completeness, consistency, scientific or technical justification, and ability to fit within the HASP constraints – Priority will be given to payloads that are clearly designed, built, managed and operated by students • Decisions will be announced by January 15, 2007 LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 17

Flight Requirements

• • • Successful applications will still need to satisfy particular requirements.

Integration Plan:

Due June 1 this document provides technical details about all payload interfaces and integration test procedures including a schedule and identifying personnel participating in integration. (Provided by student team)

Integration Certification:

At integration all interfaces will be documented and validated, correct operation of the payload will be verified, and any issues identified will be detailed. (Provided by HASP following integration) •

Flight Operation Plan:

Due at integration this document details procedures for flightline setup, pre-launch checkout, flight operations and payload recovery including a schedule and identifying personnel participating in flight operations. (Provided by student team) •

Science Report:

• The Due in December following the flight this report provides analysis of the student payload flight and science / technical results from the flight. (Provided by student team)

Integration Plan

,

Integration Certification

and

Flight Operation Plan

will need to be signed off by HASP prior to the flight • The

Science Report

will be required prior to submitting an application for a follow-on HASP flight.

LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 18

Summary

• The first flight of HASP was very successful – System was assembled, tested and flight ready about one week – ~18 hours from launch to landing, ~15 hours at altitudes > 110,000 feet – No glitches in telemetry and commanding throughout the flight – Thermal performance exceeded expectations (e.g. battery temp remained above 10 website at o C for most of the flight) – Student payload data, HASP housekeeping and position / altitude information was available in real-time on the HASP website – Only very minor damage upon landing • Yearly flights will support timely student payload development – NASA BPO continuing support at least for the next two flights – Anticipate continuing support if sufficient demand is shown • Further information and updates can be found at the HASP http://laspace.lsu.edu/HASP/ LSU 11/09/06 SE Space Grant - Nov 11, 2006 19