Communication With a
High Altitude Balloon
Team HAB-Comm:
Ryan Overman Brian Thomas
Thomas Rawls Trenton Katter
Agenda
• Introduction
– Thomas Rawls
• Background
– Trenton Katter
• Challenges and Proposed Solutions
– Ryan Overman
• Schedule and Resources
– Brian Thomas
• Summary
– Thomas Rawls
• Questions
Background
• WSU’s High Altitude Balloon project:
– Began in 2005 and has received funding through
NASA, AFRL, the National Science Foundation, and
the Ohio Space Grant Consortium.
– It is multi-disciplinary.
– It is interested in studying near-space and its
potential applications.
What is “Near-Space?”
• Near-space is a region of our
atmosphere between 65,000 and
350,000 ft.
• The air is thin, dry, and cold.
Common Altitudes
120000
100000
100000
85000
Altitude (ft)
80000
70000
60000
60000
Series1
40000
33000
20000
5280
0
1 Mile
Commercial Concord
Aircraft
U2
SR-71
High
Altitude
Balloon
Common Altitudes
700000
633600
600000
Altitude (ft)
500000
400000
300000
Series1
200000
100000
5280
0
33000
60000
70000
85000
100000
Previous Groups Have:
•
Previous Successes include:
o A controlled ground antenna.
o Ability to transmit video from air-toground.
o Development of a Software Defined Radio
system that can be used for air-to-ground
communication.
o Others
Our Objective
• To develop a reliable ground-to-air
communication system and demonstrate its
functionality by releasing a package on
command.
Can a High Altitude Balloon
serve as an emergency
communications platform?
Our Scope
Our scope does NOT include:
- integrating the two communication systems.
- designing the release mechanism.
- responsibility for steering the ground antenna.
Our scope is limited to:
- designing the electronics to reliably receive a
signal at the balloon at a height of 100,000 ft.
and a radius of 100 miles.
Approach
• Licensed Ham Operation
– Each member of HAB-Comm capable of operating
radio transmission
• Ground test
– 1 mile transmission at 4kbps with line of sight
– Calculate theoretical power for implementation
• Launch balloon
Challenges
• Noise
– Spectrum analysis from balloon in near-space
– Frequency hopping communication system
– Device on balloon selects quiet frequency,
transmits accordingly
– Balloon antenna modification possibility
• Temperature
– Select previously-tested electronic components
Results
• Reliable Ground-to-air communication system
installed
– Allows future ME and EE teams to install control
systems on the balloon
– Future implementation of an integrated two-way
communication device
• Significant step towards emergency system
implementation
Resources
• Personnel
• Facilities and Equipment
Personnel
• HAB-Comm is comprised of 4 undergraduate
electrical engineering students with varied
background.
• Multiple Wright State University Professors as
consultants: Dr. Wu (EE), Dr. Slater (ME), Dr.
Gallagher (CEG)
Facilities and Equipment
•
•
•
•
•
HIBAL Laboratory located in Russ 018
Transmit/Receive Antenna on the roof of Russ
Python/Linux based PCs
50 W Power Supply of transmitting
Wiki Page running for 8 years documenting all
previous launches
Project Costs
• Fiscal
• Time
Fiscal
• Receiver/Transmitter broadcasting HAM
frequencies
• Batteries
• RF Amplifier
• Misc electronics
Time Frame
• Research and selection of electronic components –Sept
27th, 2013
• Design and test transmitter/receiver combo – Nov 15th,
2013
• Deliver a status report – Dec 6th, 2013
• Communication device on balloon and launched – Jan
31st, 2014
• Reconfigure device and second launch – March 16th,
2014
• Deliver final presentation with results – April 21st, 2014
Design Considerations
• To develop a system that operates amidst
ambient noise and extremely low
temperatures.
• Investigation:
– Clever filter design
– Power amplification
– Frequency hopping
– Utilization of the air to ground communication
– Antenna design/control
Summary
• Develop reliable communication system
– Possible control of the release of the package
• Implement a cost effective system
– Cheap, reliable emergency communication system
• Aid future HIBAL groups
The End