Here's a brief run-down on progress made over the past 2 weeks:
Today we obtained a very first example of the balloon flight path predictor running inside of AIFCOMSS:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/07/10/18.55-39312-IFCOMSSwithPredictor1.png http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/07/10/18.55-56749-IFCOMSSwithPredictor2.png
The blue piecewise line is the output from the CUSF balloon flight prediction code -- which now is running inside AIFCOMSS -- and which uses GFS wind data from NOAA servers (at http://nomads.ncep.noaa.gov:9090/dods/gfs_1p00 ) to create a flight path prediction (when assuming, for now, that there is no propulsion, or helium bleed -- i.e. the prediction is for a free flight along with the winds at ALTAIR's altitude level, when moving at 5 meters/sec upward, until the balloon bursts at an altitude of 30 km, and then a 5 meter/sec downward free-flying parachute descent with the winds to sea level elevation).
Most of the CUSF predictor code is user-interface stuff, which is not necessary for ALTAIR/AIFCOMSS purposes, so it is commented out, or not run. Next steps are that I need to neaten the code at least a tiny bit, and then upload it such that it has any hope at all of being reproducible by anyone, even me. (We'll put the code into the separate area https://github.com/ProjectALTAIR/AIFCOMSSwithCUPredictorTest , so that it can't mess up the existing AIFCOMSS Github repository). I've not yet even attempted to make it work on my Mac -- the screenshots, and all work on this so far, have only been on a Linux box running Ubuntu 16.04, so getting it to work on a Mac, and after that other platforms (Windows), are some other next steps for this.
Our MITACS Globalink summer undergraduate student, Alexey Decrooq, and I have both been wrestling with issues with the DNT900 radio transceiver inside Betelgeuse. Last week, we first successfully transmitted from the rooftop of the Elliott Bldg. to the rooftop of Bob Wright (about 50 m). But then we tried, unsuccessfully, to transmit from the top of Mount Douglas to the rooftop of Bob Wright (about 5 km). Alexey and I correctly surmised that the failure to receive a transmission was because the Betelgeuse transmitter had not successfully switched from its default power output of 1 mW to its max power of 1W. But then, when we attempted again to change that setting, the Betelgeuse DNT900 transceiver completely stopped working. We tried swapping in my one spare DNT900P to Betelgeuse, but that still doesn't work at all -- both of those transceiver chips refuse to receive, transmit, or even just electronically report their serial number, at all. (Capella and Deneb still work fine though, fortunately -- at either the 1 mW or 1 W setting.) I have a couple of ideas why this might possibly be the case, so we'll continue debugging tomorrow.
ALTAIR-Victoria is fully assembled, and its light sources are functioning nominally, however: only the light sources themselves have been tested so far -- they need to be tested in concert with the photodiode readout; with the telemetry; with the orientation, GPS, and environmental monitoring; with the onboard data storage; with the propulsion and its monitoring data; etc., etc., etc. Much of the software to combine all that functionality, and resultantly _very_ large number of possible error conditions, still needs to be written. Thus, there remains an enormous amount to do -- including, of course, drop testing, long-range telemetry testing, etc. -- before seriously thinking about a flight ...
Mark Lenckowski has completed the stabilized pole for the new 10-meter-high drop test setup at Victoria:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/12/19/15.28-91194-MeterStabilizedPole_1.jpg http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/12/19/15.28-81425-MeterStabilizedPole_2.jpg
As you can see (faintly), he affixed side-struts and guy wire to the PVC pole, to prevent it from bending in either of the two transverse directions, so it can now be raised to vertical, from horizontal, without bending or breaking. Mark is now working on some carabiner-type attachments for the end of the pole, and he should have those finished in about a week or so. Recent progress also on 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) is now been cut into two hemispheres, with holes for four measurement photodiodes:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/12/19/15.28-19075-Hemispheres1.jpg http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/12/19/15.28-5015-Hemispheres2.jpg
Machinist Chris Secord has now cut the large light-entrance port in the top of the first hemisphere. His next step is to weld a short (~1") length of 6" diameter tube onto the input port (for mechanical mount purposes), and then we need to paint the interior of both sides with Avian-B paint (after first priming the interior with white powder coat). He's finally getting a chance to do this work, and it should be coated and completed in the next couple of weeks.
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.
Another next step, software-wise, is to establish telemetry communication between ALTAIR-Victoria:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/04/17/18.41-75359-assembledpayload1.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 the usual 4:00 pm Eastern time.
Cheers, talk to you all tomorrow! justin
On Mon, 26 Jun 2017 23:42:37 GMT, Justin Albert wrote:
> Hi! > > Let's start tomorrow's telecon 1/2 hour later than the usual 4 pm time, > since there will be a meeting with NIST folks in Baltimore tomorrow > starting at 3:30 pm Eastern, regarding NIST input into WFIRST and dark > energy calibration (BTW, Susana can provide the Webex link for that > meeting with NIST for any of you who, like me, will not be in Baltimore > tomorrow, but still would like to join, so please feel free to ask her). > That Webex meeting will likely last an hour, so thus let's move > tomorrow's biweekly ALTAIR telecon 1/2 hour later than usual, to 4:30 pm > Eastern. > > Thus the biweekly ALTAIR telecon will be tomorrow (June 27 in North > America, June 28 in Australia) at 4:30 pm Eastern (1:30 pm Pacific, > 10:30 am Hawaii, 22.30 European, 6:30 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
Attachments:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/05/22/18.23-24702-12inAlSphere.jpg
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/04/06/16.53-58615-SideView.pdf
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/04/06/16.53-48539-TopView.pdf
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/08/17/20.30-32651-ectronicsBoard17aug16.jpg
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2016/08/17/20.30-99000-AvianBTestHemisphere.jpg
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
