Here are minutes of our telecon Tuesday Nov. 22, my apologies for the delay! -- as well as some work done since then -- please just reply with (or let me know) any corrections -- thanks! :
Attendees: Arnold Gaertner (NRC) and me
In order to test Arduino-based GPS software for the Betelgeuse telemetry test box (and afterwards for ALTAIR itself), I installed a small platform outside the window in my office:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/12/05/17.35-95755-csWindowTestPlatform1.jpg http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/12/05/17.35-21193-csWindowTestPlatform2.jpg
because all GPS antennas need to have a clear view of the sky in order to obtain a GPS signal (and one rather quickly gets tired of testing the code while sitting with the antenna outside in the cold). The second photo above shows Betelgeuse opened up and out on the platform. (Obviously one needs to make sure to bring Betelgeuse etc back in to ensure that it never gets rained or snowed on.) Code, etc, for Betelgeuse should be complete in a couple of weeks. Mark Lenckowski and I also finished making and testing the helium bleed valve:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/12/05/17.35-76064-HeliumBleedValve.jpg
The little sensor (with epoxy feedthrough) one very dimly sees inside that valve is one of these temperature, pressure & humidity sensors: https://www.adafruit.com/product/2652 . I still need to make the long ribbon cable that will electrically attach this bleed valve (and its sensor) to the top of the gondola (and would, of course, release at cutdown). For the gondola/payload itself, I also still need to, amongst many other things: 1) re-lathe the steering pulley wheel such that the left and right steering strings can never interfere with one another, 2) make the diffusive light source and its mounting, such that the integrating sphere-based source can be easily swapped out for the diffusive source (and vice-versa), and 3) do a ton of internal wiring work. For AIFCOMSS, I still need to add features including including being able to switch between using the diffusive source vs. the integrating sphere-based source, to add a debugging window, add wind info, etc etc etc).
Mark Lenckowski and Paul Poffenberger are currently working on the new 10-meter-high drop test setup at Victoria, using a new idea that Mark has for how to use our PVC pipe which we purchased for this purpose.
The hardware for the pre- and post-flight photometry cross-check device -- the 12" aluminum sphere (a photo of it is attached in a link at the bottom of this message, http://www.sharpeproducts.com/store/aluminum-12-dia-sphere) as well as the white "Avian-B" Lambertian reflective paint for its interior -- is in the machine shop here at UVic for machining and painting. This will be a field photometry check device to, in the field immediately before launch, and right after recovery, cross-check photometry information from the ALTAIR gondola (to an accuracy and precision of about 1% or so. Note that photometry checks which will be more precise than that will be done in the lab, most precisely at NRC, and/or NIST -- however we want to have the ability to do quick cross-checks in the field immediately before and after flight.) Some renderings (of the upcoming device) are also attached in the attachment links at the bottom of the message. Student Tyler Makaro and machinist Jeff Trafton coated a small test hemisphere:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/08/17/20.30-99000-AvianBTestHemisphere.jpg
The large sphere should be coated and completed in approximately a month.
The survey-tripod-mounted device to cross-check yaw-pitch-roll information from the gondola (e.g., on days before/after flights) is mostly constructed now, thanks to Mark Lenckowski -- photo at
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/08/31/18.15-24048-wPitchRollCalibDevice.jpg
and all that remains to be done is a small fitting between the device and the bottom of the payload. The purchased hardware in it includes both the survey tripod (http://www.cpotools.com/cst-berger-60-alwi20-o-aluminum-tripod-with-quick-release--orange-/cstn60-alwi20-o,default,pd.html), two adjustable angle mounts (http://www.thorlabs.com/thorproduct.cfm?partnumber=AP180), and a rotation mount (https://www.thorlabs.com/thorproduct.cfm?partnumber=RP01). That last fitting to attach (temporarily, pre- or post-flight) the upper adjustable angle mount to the payload feet will be completed here in the next couple weeks.
We're currently revising the draft initial contractual agreement from our colleagues at Globalstar Canada regarding 2 initial SPOT Trace devices (and their service plans) for the educational side-project for the upcoming NATO SPS application, in which classrooms in elementary and high schools could launch company-donated SPOT Traces using party balloons (or a more environmentally-friendly version thereof), and track them to learn more about winds at different levels in Earth's atmosphere.
Regarding the simulation part of AIFCOMSS, James Hartwick (senior undergrad here at UVic, who has done an enormous amount for ALTAIR, including much of the current projectaltair.org website, light source work, etc) has written an ALTAIR flight propulsion control and simulation program, which includes GFS (global forecast system) file input, for both forecast and real-time information of winds at all points in Earth's atmosphere. We'll have plots, images, and data from his software coming up very soon. I'm developing a visualization interface for the simulation within AIFCOMSS, which will display the real-time (as well as forecasted) winds within the Cesium frame of AIFCOMSS in a way that is somewhat similar to this site:
https://earth.nullschool.net
Here you can see the first attempt at a movie within Cesium of a proto-ALTAIR flying 200 meters above someplace in Kansas:
https://particle.phys.uvic.ca/~jalbert/ALTAIRCesiumDemo.mov
and also a first attempt at displaying some ersatz wind streaks across the Earth here:
https://particle.phys.uvic.ca/~jalbert/WindyWorldCesiumDemo.mov
A next step, software-wise, is to establish telemetry communication between the main ALTAIR-Victoria board:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/08/17/20.30-32651-ectronicsBoard17aug16.jpg
and the Betelgeuse test-box:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/08/17/20.30-68004-Betelgeuse1.jpg http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/08/17/20.30-53104-Betelgeuse2.jpg
and to update the control and monitoring software to incorporate the telemetered info, and also implement onboard SD card data storage, as well as storage of the telemetered info.
Houman will send Cordell and/or us updated sections of his master's thesis soon -- that information will be extremely useful to us going forward. Also, Susana and Nathan, it would be very helpful for us all to get the JHU students' final writeup when you have a chance.
Our next grant application will be a NATO "Science for Peace and Security" application, together with Australian colleague partners.
That's all I remember, please send things that I forgot. Next telecon ** tomorrow, at 4 pm Eastern time **.
cheers, thanks very much all! justin
On Mon, 21 Nov 2016 21:41:13 GMT, Justin Albert wrote:
> Hi! > > Telecon tomorrow (Nov. 22 in North America, Nov. 23 in Australia) at the > *new* regular time: 4:00 pm Eastern (1:00 pm Pacific, 10 am Hawaii, 10 > pm European, 8 am Eastern Australia). Discussion items include: > flight/telescope plans and tests; construction, drop testing, and other > tests of the new gondolas/payloads; light sources and light source > modelling; goniometric and pre- and post-flight calibration; propulsion > work; nanosat bus and payload solid models; computing/website; grant > applications; and recap of schedules. > > Here's how to connect: > > 1) Open Skype on your computer (note that of course, you should first install Skype, http://www.skype.com , on your machine if you haven't already). > 2) In the "Contacts" menu, add me ( jalbertuvic ) as a contact, if you haven't already. > 3) Just wait for me to Skype-call you at the usual time (4 pm Eastern, 1 pm Pacific). > 4) If there is any trouble, or if you don't get a Skype-call for some reason and would like to join, just send me an e-mail (jalbert@uvic.ca). > > Here's the tentative agenda: > > I) Flight & telescope plans, and upcoming tests > II) Construction, drop tests, and other forms of tests of the new gondolas and payloads here in Victoria. > III) Diffused light source, and its modelling, pre- and post-flight calibration, and goniometric calibrations > IV) Nanosat solid models & Houman's thesis > V) Computing/website, including new flight control and simulation progress. > VI) Grant applications > VII) AOB > > Talk to you all tomorrow, thanks! > justin
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