SUPER 8
SAT: MORPHEUS
1/1/2012
BalloonSat Proposal | Jorge Cervantes, Daniel DeWolf, Dan Nowicki,
Jonathan Sobol, Evan Graser, Anthony Lima, Matt Hong, Scott Wurst
Sat: Morpheus 2012
MISSION STATEMENT AND OVERVIEW
The primary mission for BalloonSat Morpheus will be to measure the concentration of ozone and
285 nm ultraviolet-B radiation at different altitudes in the atmosphere. The data will then be
compared to discover the effects of the former on the latter. In addition, Morpheus will measure
the relative humidity at different elevations in the atmosphere to determine how this affects the
concentration of ozone at the mentioned elevations.
Mission Objectives
1. To construct a balloon-propelled satellite capable of surviving a round trip to near
space; a height of 30 km; completed and ready to launch on November 29, 2012; two
days before the scheduled launch date of December 1, 2012
2. To measure levels of ultraviolet radiation and ozone under, inside, and above the
ozone layer (10km—50km above the surface of the Earth)
3. To examine the effects of relative humidity on the concentration of ozone at different
levels in the atmosphere.
4. To collect general environmental statics including temperature and photographs.
5. To analyze the effects of different concentrations of ultraviolet radiation on the
density of ozone at different elevations in the atmosphere.
6. To recover the satellite and have it ready to perform another mission within 24 hours
of recovery
The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere at an elevation of approximately 10 to 40 km above
the Earth’s surface. Ozone, O3, is a triatomic molecule consisting of 3 oxygen atoms. As the
Chapman’s cycle states, ozone is formed when ultraviolet radiation strikes molecular oxygen
(O2) in the atmosphere, breaking them down into two oxygen atoms. The highly reactive
individual oxygen atoms bond with more oxygen molecules to form ozone. Similarly, ozone can
be broken down into an oxygen molecule and an oxygen atom by the same photons.
Although ozone is more prevalent in the ozone layer, from 10 to 40 kilometers in altitude, it can
also be created and exist in smaller concentrations at lower altitudes. This lower altitude ozone
exists only for a small amount of time compared to ozone at higher altitudes-in the ozone layerdue to the instability of ozone molecules at high pressure in the lower atmosphere. In the ozone
layer, the atmospheric pressure is ideal for the extended survival of ozone.
From the information given prior, one can hypothesize that the concentration of ozone will be
relatively constant in the ozone layer, and it will exist in much smaller quantities at most
altitudes other than that of the ozone layer. Morpheus will record intensity of UV-B and
concentration of ozone as a function of altitude. This data will then be correlated to examine the
relationship between all variables recorded in flight.
“Changing environmental conditions such as air temperature and humidity also affect ozone
chemistry.”3 Morpheus already has the requirement of measuring relative humidity and
temperature during flight, so that data could be used to correlate humidity and temperature with
ozone concentrations.
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Sat: Morpheus 2012
Morpheus: Mission Requirements
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Morpheus shall have three ozone sensors which will measure the concentration of
ozone molecules within the atmosphere as a function of altitude. Morpheus shall
have a single UV photodiode measuring the intensity of UVB radiation at 285 nm
as a function of altitude. The data from these experiments shall be combined and
analyzed to determine any correlation between the intensity of radiation
experienced by equipment during near space flight compared to the concentration
of ozone at a specific altitude.
Following flight on December 1st, Morpheus and all hardware shall be turned in
fully functional
Flight string interface tube shall be a non-metal tube through the center of the
BalloonSat and shall be secured to the box so it will not pull through the
BalloonSat or interfere with the flight string.
Internal temperature of the BalloonSat shall remain above -10˚C
during the flight.
Total weight shall not exceed 1125 grams
Super 8 shall acquire ascent and descent rates of the flight string.
Design shall allow for a Arduino UNO plus microSD card shield and
Development shield (provided)
Morpheus shall allow for external temperature sensor (provided)
Design shall allow for an Canon A570IS Digital Camera (provided)
45x75x90mm and 220 grams (with 2 AA Lithium batteries) or
an Canon SD780 IS 18x55x88mm and 130 grams. .
Design shall allow for an active heater system weighing 100 grams with batteries
and id 10x50x50mm (provided). Dimensions do not include 2 x 9 volt batteries
Morpheus shall be made of Foam Core
Parts List and Budget shall include spare parts
Morpheus will have contact information and a provided American Flag visible and
legible on the outside of the structure
Units in all documentation shall be metric
Morpheus shall be ready for launch at 6:50am at Windsor, Colorado with all team
members present. One team member shall take part in recovery.
No member of Super 8 shall get injured at any point
All hardware is the property of the Gateway to Space program and
must be returned in working order end of the semester.
All parts shall be ordered and paid by Chris Koehler’s CU Visa by
appointment to minimize reimbursement paperwork. Super 8 shall
keep detailed budgets on every purchase and receipts shall be turned
in within 48 hours of purchase with team name written on the receipt
along with a copy of the Gateway order form (HW 06). A copy of each receipt
will be given to Budget Manager Evan Graser and Leader Jon Sobol
All purchases made by team individuals shall have receipts and must
be submitted within 60 days of purchase or reimbursement will be
subject to income taxes.
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Sat: Morpheus 2012
20.
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Super 8 will have Fun, or else
Morpheus will contain no living thing of any kind
Super 8 will complete a final report and presentation following the flight,
recovery, and data analysis of Morpheus
Morpheus shall have two LED lights on the outside of the CubeSat to indicate the
functionality of the heating system and experimental instruments
Technical Overview
Design Plan
Morpheus will be built as a 20cm^3 “cube”, holding all components within. In the topmost four
corners will be three ozone meters and a UV-sensing diode. Their position is to facilitate
accuracy and precision in measurement, as well as to prevent interference from other satellites or
the balloon itself. To ensure efficiency and practicality of meeting mission objectives, all
materials will be ordered by 10/05/2012. All individual components will undergo individual
testing and evaluation. Once satisfactorily tested and approved to fulfill mission requirements,
sensors, structure, and items will be assembled as one effective unit. Should through trial any
aspect of the satellite require redesign or re-implementation of any kind, this failure will be
understood and promptly corrected with the aim of improving overall mission implementation.
During flight, data will be collected and recorded on a 2gb flash drive. Upon termination of
flight, the recovered data will be
examined to determine
correlations between ozone, UV
radiation, three-dimensional
position, temperature, and
humidity. Morpheus will be
insulated by its structure and
aluminum tape provided to us.
Also, a heater has been provided
which will assist in maintaining
an internal temperature of -10 C.
The heater will be powered by
two 9-volt alkaline batteries. All
other components will be
powered by two 9-volt alkaline
batteries. Morpheus’ primary
mission sensors are located on
the outside of the satellite and so
will be less insulated than the
internal components. Heating
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Sat: Morpheus 2012
pads will be needed to maintain operational temperature on exposed sensors. However, suppliers
researched have indicated a capability of withstanding the expected environment. Our own
testing will confirm or refute this, and various design options will be tested to ensure maximum
performance and acquiescence to the mission requirements. Our design will be power intensive,
given that it must run all systems from of at least an altitude of 8km—9km until at least apoapsis
(~30km).
Structure:
Morpheus will be a cube constructed of foam core, measuring 20cm x 20cm x 20cm. Aluminum
tape will provide structural integrity and hot glue/epoxy will be used to seal the walls and hold it
all together. Internal
components will be placed
along the walls of the cube
with organized and minimal
wiring to facilitate airflow,
and therefore, heating
effectively. Through the
center will be a PVC pipe
which the flight string will run
through. At either end of the
pipe, washers, pins and knots
in the rope will be added to
minimize whipping and to
maintain Morpheus’ position
on the flight string. Two
switches and two LEDs are
placed externally to allow
Team Super Eight to power
up, and to indicate function of
the internal components when
needed. All structural
elements are in place with the
intent of proper function and
mission success.
UVb Photodiode and Ozone Sensors
Morpheus’ primary payload will measure 285 nm ultraviolet radiation. The photodiode will
receive a photon of the appropriate wavelength which will create a correlative voltage. As the
secondary payload, the ozone sensor will measure ozone levels under, in, and above the ozone
layer. The sensor has a plate with a certain resistance and when ozone molecules hit the plate, the
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Sat: Morpheus 2012
resistance changes and a change in voltage is recorded. The photodiode and ozone sensors will
be tested extensively to ensure calibration and proper functioning at required wavelengths and
environment. Voltage will be collected through the Arduino UNO which interprets voltages and
converts into data. The data will then be transferred to the USB flash drive provided. Voltages
should be recorded five times per second, but will be recorded more or less depending on tested
variables. Data recovered will then be transferred to a personal computer for analysis.
Images
Flight will include photographic documentation of still images as Morpheus ascends through the
atmosphere. The camera is situated on the dorsal wall of the satellite and will photograph the
view according to time or altitude intervals, to be decided as needed per design specifications.
Data Retrieval
All sensors provide voltage readings which can be interpreted by the Arduino UNO into useful
data. This data will be stored in the USB flash drive provided. The Arduino UNO can be
programmed with specific rates, start times, and end times. The software is compatible with Mac
and Windows. Once data is recovered, it will be presented graphically with multiple variables
and presented to the class.
The HOBO:
The HOBO logger will record the humidity and temperature inside the satellite during the
mission. The logger is capable of storing a large number of readings without storing them on an
external drive. It will store 8-bit readings of the environment within the satellite to see if the
internal temperature stays above -10 °C. In addition, the HOBO will measure the temperature of
the outside environment. The sensor requires 3 V to operate and will draw this power from the
Arduino Uno. The logger will be programed to begin function along with the scientific
instruments at an altitude of approximately 8 thousand meters. This is to, again, preserve power.
Structural Test
Morpheus will undergo a series of tests to ensure its structural survival during the near space trip
stages. It must be able to withstand extreme temperatures, as well as radical amounts of force
both after burst of the balloon, during free fall, and also while landing. The tests we will conduct
on the satellite are as follows:
Drop test: Morpheus will be dropped vertically from a height of at least 15 meters, and, in
addition, it will be rolled down a flight of stairs. These tests will be performed to ensure that the
structure of the satellite holds in the case of a landing where 1) it is dragged by weather
conditions, or 2) hits the ground with a full force vertical impact. This test will be performed
with the actual satellite structure, but not with the actual satellite hardware and subsystems
because we do not want to damage the equipment before launch; rather, the satellite will be
loaded with dead-weight of approximately the same magnitude as the actual equipment.
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Sat: Morpheus 2012
Whip test: The satellite will be tied to a string in the same way that it will be tied to the
BalloonSat and it will be swung around with different velocities. This test will help us determine
if the structure of our satellite is sound enough to stay attached to the BalloonSat throughout the
flight. However, we are mostly interest in the post-burst environment of the flight. As with the
drop test, this test will be performed with mass models of the actual hardware.
Functional Tests
All hardware and software will be tested extensively both individually and together. We
will integrate all subsystems into the satellite, and we will activate the payload as if it was launch
day. We will run the satellite for a period of at least 150 minutes, simulating actual flight time.
These tests will help us ensure that all software and hardware will run effectively throughout our
flight.
Temperature Test: Morpheus will be placed and sealed in a Styrofoam cooler containing dry ice
for a period of at least three hours. The payload will be activated an operational during the
entirety of this test. This test will allow us to test whether the insulation component of our
satellite is sound. We will discover if our satellite is able to protect our equipment in drastic
temperatures
Ozone Sensor Test: The ozone sensors in our satellite will be tested for functionality in an air
quality room at the university. A set concentration of ozone will be fired into a chamber
containing our activated payload. The data will be collected at the end of the test to ensure the
sensors are operational and to calibrate them.
Ultraviolet Photodiode Test: The UV photodiode will be tested to ensure the validity of the data
and the functionality of the sensor itself. The diode will be placed under a black light of known
UV concentration for an extended period of time. The data will then be collected to calibrate the
photodiode.
HOBO Test: The HOBO will be tested separately by exposing to a range of environmental
factors like temperature and humidity.
Activation Testing: The scientific instruments and HOBO will be set to power on at
approximately 8 km in altitude. We will test to make sure that altitude based activation is fully
functional. We will test this component by calibrating the Arduino Uno to take readings from the
accelerometer, which, in turn, will activate the rest of the payload at the desired altitude.
Camera Testing: The camera will be tested, not only to determine if it can withstand drastic
temperatures, but also to ensure the quality of photographs. We will run the camera during the
temperature test at a rate of one picture every 20 minutes.
Arduino Uno Test: The Arduino Uno microcontroller will be tested with the activated payload to
determine its capability of retrieving data and controlling the mission components. First, we will
ensure that all components run individually under the control of the Arduino. Next, we will test
to ensure that everything runs in conjunction with the Arduino Uno. Finally, we will test to
ensure that mission goals are accomplished by the Arduino Uno and software.
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How will requirements be met?
All requirements of the RFP will be met by dividing the labor between all members. Each team
member will have specific sections of the RFP to complete and submit to the team leader. The
team leader will then organize and arrange the final proposal into the format required and submit
it by the due date.
Materials List and Budget
ITEM
Digital Camera
2GB Memory Card
Arduino UNO
3 axis accelerometer
Humidity Sensor
Heater kit
Switches
Foam Core
Flight batteries
Aluminum tape, hot glue, and
other miscellaneous items
Ozone sensors (x3)
Photodiode
Test Batteries
Dry Ice ~ 10-15 lbs
TOTAL
SUPPLIER
Gateway class
Gateway class
Gateway class
Gateway class
Gateway class
Gateway class
Gateway class
Gateway class
Gateway Class
Gateway class
COST (U.S.DOLLARS)
Provided to us
Provided to us
Provided to us
Provided to us
Provided to us
Provided to us
Provided to us
Provided to us
Provided to us
Provided to us
e2v Technologies
Boston Electronics
King Soopers
Safeway
-------------------------
~24.00
~180.00
<20.00
~1.00/ lb= <15.00
~241
Budget Management:
The budget will be managed by Evan Graser. All requests for funding will be brought to
Evan and approved. Evan will report the cost to Jonathan Sobol, who in turn reports to Chris
Koehler.
The team will stay on budget by controlling funding carefully and by meticulously recording all
costs. All costs must be approved twice before funding is dispersed. Unanimous consent from the
team must also be a factor in financial decisions. The budget is considered a requirement for the
project’s success. Therefore, failure is implicit in any costs exceeding the specified project
budget. Receipts will be brought to Evan Graser immediately upon purchase. The receipts will
then be copied and submitted to Jonathan Sobol, who will in turn submit it to Chris Koehler.
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Sat: Morpheus 2012
Schedule:
DATE
W 9/19/2012
F 9/21/2012
W 9/26/2012
F 9/28/2012
F 9/28/2012
M 10/1/12
T 10/2/2012
W 10/3/2012
F 10/5/2012
F 10/5/2012
W 10/10/12
R 10/12/12
W 10/17/12
R 10/18/12
R 10/18/12
F 10/19/12
EVENT
First team meeting
Team meeting
Team meeting
Proposals Due by 4:00 PM
Team Meeting
CoDR Completed & Reviewed by group
CoDR Slides Due
Team meeting
Authority To Proceed Meeting
All Hardware Ordered
Team Meeting
Team Meeting: Hardware Received
Team Meeting: CubeSat Structure completed
Design Document Review Due
pCDR Slides Due 7:00am
Team Meeting
W 10/24/12
F 10/26/12
W 10/31/12
R 11/01/12
F 11/02/12
W 11/7/12
F 11/9/12
T 11/13/2012
F 11/16/12
T 11/27/12
W 11/28/12
F 11/30/12
Sat 12/1/12
Wed 12/5/12
F 12/7/12
Sat 12/8/12
T 12/11/12
T 12/11/12
W 12/12/12
Team Meeting: Structural Testing Performed (drop, roll, whip, cold)
Team Meeting: Hardware Testing
Team Meeting
Mid-Semester Evals Due
Team Meeting
Team Meeting
Team Meeting
In Class Payload Simulation
DD ReV C Due 12:00pm
LLR Due 7:00am
Team Meeting
BalloonSat Weigh in & Turn In
Launch Day
Team Meeting: Data Analysis
Team Meeting: DD Rev D & Team Video Editing
DD Rev D Due
All Data Due in Class
Team Presentation and Hardware turn in 3:00pm
Final Team Meeting: HW 09 and Tearful Goodbyes
Note: All team meetings will be held from 5-6 PM on Wednesdays and 3-4 PM on Fridays
unless otherwise stated.
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Sat: Morpheus 2012
Safety
To ensure the safety of team members as well as others, we will practice all the precautions that
follow along with this mission. For basics, we will handle dry ice with gloves, solder while
wearing goggles and wear protective clothing during electric activity. Ozone and UV light
calibration will be done by multiple team members and if necessary, a professional will
supervise these events. Tests will be performed frequently throughout the development to ensure
the mission provides no danger. All tests will be approved by Jon Sobol Chris Koehler, and
done in an appropriate environment with the presence of at least 1 other team member. This
ensures in case of an accident, appropriate actions may be taken to minimize the damage or
injury. No one shall use equipment that they are not trained in, and if one finds themselves in the
presence of equipment unknown to them, they shall take extra precautions. On launch day,
everyone shall dress appropriately in preparations for various weather conditions.
Team Overview
Jorge Cervantes- Jorge was born and raised in Colorado, where he first noticed the grandeur of
the stars while looking out the backseat window of his parents' car during a long drive home. He
currently is an Aerospace Engineering major at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His
special skills involve speaking Spanish and masterful writing.
720-299-3854, 495 Dogwood Ave Brighton CO, 80601
Daniel DeWolf- Daniel was born in the bay area of California, but moved to Colorado at an early
age. Since then, he has had numerous areas of interest. However, after seeing the true expanse of
the cosmos, he wanted to explore it. His special experience involves programming and
electronics.
303-945-5365, 8085 Iris St Arvada, CO 80005
Evan Graser- Evan was born in Chicago Illinois, during his early years he split time between
Illinois and Colorado. Thanks to his love of Colorado, Evan easily made the decision to study
Aerospace at CU and hopes to further his love of science and astronomy. His skills include
skydiving experience and CPR training.
224-622-4642, 9057 Brackett Hall Boulder, CO 80310.
Matt Hong- Matt was born in South Korea and came to the United States when he was 4 years
old. After a 6th grade project, Matt gained an appreciation for the exploration of space. His
special skills include the ability to speak Korean and work with software.
303-868-8366, 11028 N. Decatur St. Westminster, CO 80234
Anthony Lima- Anthony Lima was born and raised in Colorado. His passion of exploration
brought him to the University of Colorado at Boulder. There he studies Aerospace Engineering
and intends to make significant contributions to humanity's space endeavors. His skills include
electrical work and soldering.
720-563-9882 25853 E Peakview Pl Aurora, CO 80016
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Dan Nowicki- Dan grew up in Colorado within a strong family that encouraged him to follow his
aspirations including becoming an Eagle Scout and going to college for engineering. His skills
include structures and minor programming experience.
303-945-6268 8031 South Yarrow St. Littleton, CO 80128
Jon Sobol- Jon grew up in Los Angeles and never truly saw the stars until a trip to a cattle ranch
where he saw the heavens as primordial man saw them: bare and bright and glorious. Jon is
pursuing an Aerospace Engineering program at the CU Boulder and wants to specialize in
propulsion. His special skills include medical experience and being the token pessimist.
818-431-0226 1085 Marine St. #7 Boulder, CO 80301
Scott Wurst- Scott hails from the city of Spokane, WA. He is currently in the engineering honors
program and lives in Andrews Hall. His special skills include the use of CAD and soldering
skills.
509-638-8217 9114 Andrews Hall Boulder, CO 80301
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