Happy Labour Day! -- 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)
The new gondola is complete, and over the past two weeks we have successfully ground-tested the new telemetry over distances of approximately 2 km and 25 km (Robert Frost Ln. in Etna NH to Dogford Rd. and to the top of Mt. Ascutney respectively), without any significant problems at all. (Sometimes, after first turning on the payload, the Inventek GPS takes a long time to lock onto the satellites [everyone is familiar with that issue from the analogous refrain of "recalculating, recalculating, ..." on automobile GPS devices], but that's almost certainly not an important issue, since once the Inventek GPS gets a lock, it never appears to drop it, which would be a problem if it were to occur). The only major thing we're still waiting for, before flights resume, is the arrival of the replacement parafoil, which should arrive any day. But we'll (or rather Yorke will) also wait for Cynthia and other undergrads to return to Dartmouth around Sept. 15 -- as I'm headed back to UVic tomorrow. A drop test with the new parafoil, when the new parafoil arrives, should probably be done prior to the next flight too. Yorke will also very shortly work on the back-up telemetry card with a second DNT transceiver, but we'll work with the current system in the meantime.
Karun is making progress on Zemax-based computational modelling -- he has contacted LabSphere and AlliedScientificPro for any info they have on numerical optical models for the integrating spheres (or for any of their integrating sphere products), and has begun to create simple standard Zemax models of lenses, laser light etc. The computer automation for the spherical-coordinate goniophotometry stand that Karun and Paul have developed is now working, and Karun will be using the UVic machine shop to make some enhancements/modifications of the portable payload attitude calibration test stand that we bought a few months ago.
Houman and Cordell are working on the 3-D modelling of the nanosat payload, and specifically of the multicolour laser module, and will be contacting us with questions when they arise. They're interested in updates to the integrating sphere that arise from the computational modelling (addition of interior baffles or a diffuser), but have plenty to work on for now (while waiting for that info to begin to arise from Karun and Divya's computational modelling).
Dale George and Barry Prentice of Buoyant Aircraft Systems both have contacted me to let me know that they are actively working on a quote for our first superpressure balloon (for delivery sometime early in the next year, approximate specs being: spherical of 4 meter radius when fully inflated, 25 um thick polyethylene and/or PET skin + ribs, maximum operating delta P = 2.5 kPa), and should be sending that quote sometime this week. I've successfully turned on the pair of 433 MHz radios (http://embeddedwirelesssolutions.com/ews_rfm23bp_433mhz_development_kit), or rather the Atmega boards that will control them, but require a PC (and thus my being back in Victoria) to do any programming with them. The pair of 144 MHz radios (http://www.lemosint.com/radiometrix/radiometrix_details.php?itemID=802) (also for testing, for far-future Europe/Asia/Australia flights) should arrive in NH in a week or two (but then might need to wait awhile before they can travel back up with me to Canada).
That's all I remember, please send things that I forgot. Next telecon in two weeks as usual, on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 2:30 pm Eastern time.
cheers, thanks all! justin
On Wed, 27 Aug 2014 22:53:22 GMT, Justin Albert wrote:
> Hi, > > Telecon tomorrow (Aug. 28) at our regular time of 2:30 pm Eastern time > (11:30 am Pacific, 20.30 European). Discussion items include: the new > gondola and flight plans, light source modelling, goniometric and pre- > and post-flight calibration, nanosat and new laser module design, > computing/website, grant applications, recap of schedules. 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) The new gondola and payload, robustness improvements (both present and forthcoming), and next flights > II) Light source studies and modelling, pre- and post-flight calibration, and goniometric calibrations > III) Nanosat, new integrating spheres, and multicolour laser module designs > IV) Computing/website > V) Grant applications > VI) AOB > > Talk to you all tomorrow, thanks, > justin > > Attachments: > http://projectaltair.org/HyperNews/get/AUX/2012/11/12/18.02-43361-Schedule-20120702_hqp.pdf >