General Launch Information:
Date: March 2nd
Departure Time:
- Ham Shack: 04:45
Launch Site: Spangle
Landing Site: Palouse
Post Flight Status: Partial Mission Success
Goals and Success Criteria
Prior to launch the project management creates specific and measurable success criteria for the launch. In addition each team establishes a set of goals. Team goals are considered secondary to meeting the Mission Success criteria.
Project Success Criteria
Minimum Success
- Payload recovered within 1 week of launch
Mission Success
- Payload recovered within 2 days of launch
- Collect temperature data as a function of time during the entire flight
- Capture and store 100 or more digital still pictures
- Collect and store at least 50% of the tracking packets containing accurate position and altitude data real time during the flight
- Archive all raw flight data (GPS packets, science data, pictures, video) on VAST computer in Ham Shack within 24 hours of recovery
- Each team posts lessons learned on wiki (Post Flight Report) within 1 week of launch date
Full Success
- Payload recovered within the same day of launch
- Collect temperature data as a function of time during the entire flight
- Collect pressure data as a function of time during the entire flight
- Capture and store 200 or more digital still pictures
- Collect and store at least 80% of the tracking packets containing accurate position and altitude data real time during the flight
- Reach peak altitude of at least 90,000 ft
- Archive all processed/calibrated flight data (GPS packets, science data, pictures, video) on VAST computer in Ham Shack within 1 week of recovery
Team Launch Objectives
Science/Instrumentation Objectives
- New camera - pictures every ten seconds for entire flight
- Old system - all sensors reading and storing accurate data
Communication Objectives
- To receive Big Red Bee packets throughout the flight but importantly at the very end for maximum GPS precision
- To receive the majority of the Microtrak packets to be able to track and reconstruct the flight
- To hit digi-peaters with the majority of microtrak packets and be able to track the flight online
- To effectively use the radios for both data and voice simultaneously
CnDH Objectives
- Mission Failure
- Loss of payload or
- destruction of payload or
- no data recovered
- Minimal success
- recover payload intact
- powers on
- GPS data recorded and recovered
- Invalid data from sensors
- PIC AXE communication with ARM7
- Moderate success
- Valid sensor data
- Pressure
- Valid sensor data
- Full success
Note: Valid data consist of calibrated and verified data to atmospheric models.
Ground Station Objectives
- Mobile Unit:
- Log all the bus packets
- Test the new GPSD2COM software with 2 new mapping programs
- Vast Dashboard running Microsoft Mappoint
- Other software test
- Pictures!!
- Stationary Unit (Ham Shackians):
- Log all the balloon packets via radio (fall back will be [aprs.fi])
- Pictures!!
- Test out the new C++ GERTTS in real time
Structures Objectives
- All capsules return in a reusable condition
- Less than 30 minutes of set-up time on site
- All capsules maintain sufficient thermal integrity to ensure power systems remain functional
- All critical components return in a reusable condition
Roles and Responsibilities
Each team member volunteers for a role on launch day. There are two catagories of roles, project level roles and team level roles. The project level goals include: Head Flight Planner, Launch Coordinator, Tracking Coordinator, Recovery Coordinator, and Communication Specialists. Team level roles include: Photographer, Head Note Taker and other specialized roles specific to the team.
Management Roles
| Flight Planner | Austin Howard |
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| Launch Coordinator | Justin Schlee |
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| Tracking Coordinator | Jasper Nance Evan Hart |
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| Recovery Coordinator |
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| Communications Specialists | Alex Odom (HamShack) Matthew VavRosky (Steptoe?) Austin Howard (Bus?) |
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Team Roles
| Communications |
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| Controll & Data Handling |
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| Science/Instrumentation |
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| Ground Station | Cliff Murphy (pics-Bus) ?? (notes-Bus) Alex Odom (notes-HamShack) Evan Hart (pics-HamShack) |
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| Structures |
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Launch Procedures
Prior to launch the teams create a collaborative procedure for assembling the payload and checking for critical functionality. A final launch checklist is also used to confirm that all systems are ready for launch.
- Begin filling the balloon
- Assemble capsules
- Turn on camera and system located in the high school capsule
- Secure attachments to batteries
- Verify data is being received
- Verify connections between devices/batteries
- Verify valid data being received on datalogger
- Attach harnesses to capsules
- Attach parachute and capsules to balloon
- Attach cut-down system (inactive for this launch (March 2nd, 2008)
- Final verification of signal transmission
- Lift-off
Tracking and Recovery Plan
We will have two tracking stations set up. Both will be mobile units. The Lima unit will drive to the launch site and set up the balloon for launch and confirm functionality prior to launch. The Romeo unit will situate its-self at the highest spot as close as possible to the predicted landing zone. Prior to release, Lima will contact Romeo (via cell phone) and confirm that Romeo is ready to receive. Upon release Lima will pack up and drive furiously with great abandon to the location of Romeo. Upon balloon burst, indicated by a rapid decrease in reported altitude, Romeo will pack up the BBQ and prepare to move to the expected landing site.
Lima and Romeo form up to create Vandal. Vandal packs up the capsule and returns to campus.
| HamShack | School Bus | Truck | Jasper Mobile | CNR SUV |
Moscow |
Launch Site |
Launch Site |
Launch Site |
Step Toe Butte |
| Personnel | Personnel | Personnel | Personnel | Personnel |
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| Equipment | Equipment | Equipment | Equipment | Equipment |
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Radio Frequencies
VAST uses amateur radio to track the payload in real time and transmit telemetry data from the balloon to the mobile ground units.
Audio Communications:
Primary Frequency: 146.550Mhz (Simplex)
Secondary Frequency: 146.820Mhz (Moscow Mt Repeater), 147.240Mhz (Mica Mt Repeater)
| Location | Operator | Callsign | Unit | RF Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HamShack | Alex Odom | KE7HLM | Kenwood D710 | 50W |
| The Bus | Chris Walker | KE7PHE | Kenwood D700 | 50W |
| Jasper Mobile | Jasper Nance | KE7PHI | Kenwood Fd F6A*2 | 5W |
| CNR-SUV | Cliff Murphy | KE7PHG | Kenwood D700/Yaesu FT-60R | 50W/5W |
| Steptoe | W7UQ Radio Club | KE7CJL/KE7MTF/KE7MT-? | Kenwood D7/HTs | 5W-50W |
Transmitters:
| Unit | Use | Callsign | Frequency | Data | Time Interval | RF Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microtrak 8000 FA | tracking | KE7PHI-1 | 144.390Mhz | APRS | 113 sec | 8W |
| Microtrak 300 + MicroAmp | tracking | KE7JWW | 144.390Mhz | APRS | 87 sec (offset by 60) | 10W |
| Big Red Bee + Amp | precision tracking | KE7PHI-2 | 441.050Mhz | pseudo APRS | 10 sec | 1W |
Receivers:
| Unit | Freq: Pri/Sec | Computer | Software | Antenna |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APRS.fi | iGates | HamShack PC | GERTTS | |
| Kenwood D710 | 441.050Mhz | HamShack PC | MapPoint/GERTTS | ?? |
Flight System
Parachute / Balloon Info
- Parachute Type: Rocketman R12C
- Balloon Type: Latex
- Size: 1500 g
Target Flight Rates
- Targeted Free Lift: 1.5-2 lbf
- Average Target Ascent Rate: 1200 ft/min
- Average Target Descent Rate: 2000 ft/min
- Target Peak Altitude: 100,000 ft
Payload
BC 1 - Waldo |
MCC 3- Twiddle Dee |
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Contents:
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Contents:
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| Mass: 616g (empty) | Mass: 382g (empty) |
Trajectory/Weather Predictions (Prediction Tutorial)
VAST uses multiple trajectory prediction tools including an online tool. Weather forecasts are also used for planning and logistics. Launches are postponed if surface winds are dangerously high or if there is too much precipitation. The wind speed in the jet stream is also an important consideration. If winds are too high, the launch team will have to drive long distances to avoid forested landings in northern Idaho.
Risk Analysis
Each team summarizes all failure modes and the steps taken to mitigate system failures. Teams highlight failure modes that are single point failures, dependent failures, and failures that effect other systems. Failures are rated by likelihood and consequence (rated from 1-5, where 1 represents low and 5 high). Use this image as a guide to mitigating risk.
Systems
| Failure Mode Description | Likelihood | Consequence | Risk (R=L*C) |
| Package comes in contact with aircraft | 1 | 5 | 5 |
Science
| Failure Mode Description | Likelihood | Consequence | Risk (R=L*C) |
| Camera Failure | 2 | 2 | 4 |
C&DH
| Failure Mode Description | Likelihood | Consequence | Risk (R=L*C) |
| Example | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Comm
| Failure Mode Description | Likelihood | Consequence | Risk (R=L*C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Battery Discharge | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Amplifier overheating | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| Last GPS packets missed | 2 | 3 | 6 |
Structures
| Failure Mode Description | Likelihood | Consequence | Risk (R=L*C) |
| Thermal Failure | 3 | 8 | 24 |
| Capsule/Rigging Integrity Dissipates | 2 | 10 | 20 |
Ground Station
| Failure Mode Description | Likelihood | Consequence | Risk (R=L*C) |
| Example | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Validation/Verification
Each team posts a summary of all relevant system testing including description of test and outcomes.
Systems
Control and Data Handling
Communication
Science
New camera was spin tested, pictures resulting were of decent quality. Internal timer tested.
Structures
MCC 3- Twiddle Dee was drop tested with no major damage to the capsule or components.
New Rigging was fitted to MCC 3- Twiddle Dee.
Ground Station
FAA/Sheriff Information
A NOTAM is filed the day before launch. In addition a fax is sent to the surrounding sheriffs offices to inform them of our activities. The relevant details of the launch are summarized in the link below.
NOTAM
Sheriff Fax
Contacts
Leaders Contacts
Sheriff Contacts
FAA Contacts
