Here are minutes of our meeting on Thursday -- please just reply with, or let me know, any corrections -- thanks!:
Phoning in: Arnold Gaertner (NRC), Houman Hakima (UTIAS-SFL), and Karun Thanjavur (UVic) (and regrets from: Cordell Grant (UTIAS-SFL))
The next flights will be nighttime observation flights of the LED-based engineering source and then the laser-diode-and-integrating-sphere-based science source. We'll be holding off on the float balloon flight until these observation flights are completed. The weather is good in Hanover: we will likely be flying later this week or on the upcoming weekend (this particular weekend happens to be Yorke's wedding anniversary -- congratulations!).
We additionally intend to make diffuser-based LED and laser diode sources as alternative light sources -- and thus extremely useful cross-checks (perhaps even as future primary sources -- we'll just have to see their performance in flight and in the lab to judge that) -- to have around for future flights.
Laboratory calibration-wise: graduate students Divya and then Paul will be continuing Karun and Ryan's work on the photometry and payload attitude measurement calibration setup in Yorke's lab at Dartmouth. Additionally, following the goniometric data from NRC on the spheres and our sources, Karun, Divya, and Victor are working on numerical modelling of both the present and the future integrating spheres, the latter with and without different baffles in place, in order to study whether a baffle and/or a diffuser in our next set of integrating spheres will be useful for us. And as soon as we have a design for a baffle or diffuser, we'll hand that to Allied Scientific Pro and World Star Tech respectively.
At UTIAS-SFL, Houman will let us know if he has any questions for us regarding the nanosat mass budget etc. He has completed the initial design of the new integrating spheres, and on that front is waiting for info on baffles from Karun and Divya. And he and Cordell are also continuing to work on the solid modelling for the nanosat bus.
On computing/website, things generally appear stable -- please just either post a note or let me know if any fixes or changes are needed.
Regarding grant applications, I'll be discussing with our DND contacts whether splitting the DND-NSERC grant request into two parts, the first for the payload components (ASAP) and the second for airship components (later), would be worthwhile. There also is, of course, much recent interest in U.S. grant applications, which could of course focus on nanosat, balloon flights, or both. The best focus there would likely depend on the requested budget, which in turn depends on granting program. Susana and Nathan will likely be visiting Hanover NH sometime this or next month in order to take a closer look at the current ALTAIR gondola and payload design and flight procedures, to better develop shopping lists for JHU students, and for grant requests.
That's all I remember, please send things that I forgot. Next telecon as usual in two weeks, on Thursday, June 19, at 2:30 pm Eastern time.
cheers, thanks all! justin
On Thu, 05 Jun 2014 02:14:57 GMT, Justin Albert wrote:
> Hi, > > Telecon tomorrow (June 5) at our regular time of 2:30 pm Eastern time > (11:30 am Pacific, 20.30 European). Discussion items include: upcoming > flight status, goniometric and pre- and post-flight calibration, nanosat > and new laser module design, computing/website, grant applications, and > recap of operation plans. A reminder of the CSA project timeline is > attached. > > Here's the dial-in info: If you are calling in from Canada or U.S.: > 1. Dial Toll-Free Number: 866-740-1260 (U.S. & Canada) > 2. Enter 7-digit access code: 5082741 followed by the # > > If you are calling in from elsewhere: > 1. To locate International Toll-Free Numbers go to > http://www.readytalk.com/intl (enter 7-digit access code 5082741) > 2. Dial toll free number from web link > 3. Enter Passcode: Enter 7-digit ACCESS CODE: 5082741 followed by the # > > Here's the tentative agenda: > I) Upcoming flight status > II) Pre- and post-flight calibration and goniometric calibrations > III) Our longer-term flight plans > IV) Nanosat, new integrating spheres, and multicolour laser module designs > V) Computing/website > VI) Grant applications > VII) AOB > > Talk to you all tomorrow, > justin > > Attachments: > http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2012/11/12/18.02-43361-Schedule-20120702_hqp.pdf >