Here's the quick rundown of ALTAIR work done over the past 2 weeks -- my apologies for the delay! -- please just reply with (or let me know) any corrections -- thanks! :
We did a short drop test of the payload with the helium bleed valve connector connected back on Nov. 16:
https://particle.phys.uvic.ca/~jalbert/ALTAIRShortDropTest_16Nov17.MOV
As you can see, that connector (which is a single row of 7 round machine pin header male to females) held on just a bit too much in that test: that one electrical connection up to the balloon helium valve does certainly need to very assuredly remain connected throughout the main flight, but additionally should release as smoothly as possible on cutdown. Thus: I added another connector of 7 standard square pin header male-females in series with the machine pin header connection a few centimeters up the ribbon cable -- so that either one (or both) of those connectors can be the one that separates upon cutdown, which should reduce the chance of a snag on cutdown. (Hopefully that will be sufficient -- if not, the further step of changing that connector into a magnetic ZIF [zero insertion force] connector would be quite non-trivial, and especially since I certainly don't want magnets anywhere near the magnetometer that is on top of the mast in that general vicinity.) I will be doing another drop test with the new configuration tomorrow. Note that the payload was of course perfectly fine, as it certainly should be, even though it landed on its side (the firmware kept running and its lights kept blinking, as you can see!)
In order to monitor incoming data from 3 types of sensors: 1) the RPM sensors, 2) the current sensors, and 3) the temperature sensors for each of the 4 propulsion motors, I installed, and wrote and uploaded firmware for, a standalone Arduino Micro microcontroller board. I installed the little Micro board onto the interface header connector for the connections to the top plate electronics -- you can (barely) see it just to the right of the lefthand white structural post, and about halfway between the aluminum top plate and the acrylic main board support plate, in this image:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/11/27/21.32-95171-TAIRAfterMicroInstall.jpg
Now: that Micro board only needs to be connected up to the propulsion axle electrical connections themselves, and that very last step hopefully will be the absolute very last payload hardware construction needed (note that ongoing repairs will obviously be needed, but those final connections to the propulsion axle are the only remaining hardware construction needed in the payload/gondola that I am presently aware of). Hooray! Note that a lot of additional testing, and fixing problems, of course remains as well however.
Prior to doing that last step of connecting the Micro board to the propulsion axle, I made the necessary additional holes in the black foamboard plate (that forms the bottom of the gondola) for the front ultrasonic distance sensor, and also Chris Secord (our department machinist) made me an aluminum cone to mate the integrating sphere output port to the plate (and then I coated that cone in black flocking paper). You can see the black cone, on the integrating sphere, in the following image:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/11/27/21.32-89871-ALTAIRBlackCone.jpg
and then the resulting installed foam board plate and lower insulation layer here:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/11/27/21.32-2030-ALTAIRFoamboardPlate.jpg http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/11/27/21.32-47512-AIRPriorToAxleInstall.jpg
and the payload running with those installed here:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/11/27/21.32-1998-iorToAxleInstallAndOn.jpg
The next (and hopefully very last hardware-construction-phase) steps are to install that one very last connection to the propulsion axle, and then install the propulsion axle itself together with the upper insulation layers, and to do short drop tests both before and after that. Those items will be done tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday per plan.
Students Alexy Decrooq and Kyle Jordan, as well as software expert Layth Holubeshen, have excellently completed getting the code that runs 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
into better shape such that it is much easier to install, and they have also completed relatively easy and reproducible instructions on how to install it (on Windows and Linux platforms). We have now added those instructions as a README at https://github.com/ProjectALTAIR/AIFCOMSSwithCUPredictorTest. The next task is for me to add MacOS instructions to those excellent Linux and Windows instructions, and then to work on updating and improving the flight prediction code itself -- and also, after that, see if we can successfully simulate some form of station-keeping over a region of land, using the actual wind forecasts and data from NOAA, and also reasonable values for drag, propulsive thrust, battery power (as well as some battery recharging with future lightweight solar panels), etc etc.
Machinist Chris Secord has been very busy welding the 12" diameter aluminum sphere that will function as our pre- and post-flight photometry cross-check device, and here's the result of his work:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/08/21/19.38-86577-WeldedSphere.jpg
He still needs to tack-weld the bottom support ring onto the bottom half of the sphere. When he finishes this weld job, we'll then prime the interior with white powder coat, and then use our Avian-B paint to paint over the powder coat (Avian-B sticks far better over a powder coat than directly on aluminum, since Avian-B does not contain etch primer). The sphere should be coated and completed in the next couple of weeks.
ALTAIR-Victoria is fully assembled, and its light sources are functioning nominally:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/10/02/14.50-21791-ALTAIRFittedTop.jpg
however: only the light sources themselves, plus the basic telemetry, have been tested so far -- they both need to be tested in concert with the photodiode readout; 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, more long-range telemetry testing, etc. -- before even 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.
The survey-tripod-mounted device to cross-check yaw-pitch-roll information from the gondola (e.g., on days before/after flights) is 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 to finish the 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 landing gear has been started and 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 add a bunch of additional data information to the telemetry communication between ALTAIR-Victoria:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/06/26/19.25-55880-ALTAIRwithGear.JPG
and the Capella ground station:
http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2017/01/23/21.17-37945-Capella.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 our usual 4:00 pm Eastern time.
Cheers, talk to you all tomorrow! justin
On Tue, 14 Nov 2017 04:12:22 GMT, Justin Albert wrote:
> Hi! > > Telecon tomorrow (Nov. 14 in North America, Nov. 15 in Australia) at the > regular time: 4:00 pm Eastern (1:00 pm Pacific, 10 am Hawaii, 22.00 > European, 8 am Eastern Australia). Lots done in these past weeks! (I'll > send a report next.) 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 / transition away from > HyperNews; 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/2017/10/02/14.50-21791-ALTAIRFittedTop.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
