When Buffs Fly Design Document Fall 2016 Rev D

When Buffs Fly
Colorado Space Grant Consortium
GATEWAY TO SPACE
FALL 2016
DESIGN DOCUMENT
When Buffs Fly
Written by:
Michael Fruge, Davis Butte, Yang Lee, Prem Pakabunto, Destin Woods, Taylor Johnson,
Aidan Quade
12-11-16
Revision D
Rev D
Gateway to Space ASEN 1400 Fall 2016
Revision Log
Revision Description Date

A/B Conceptual and Preliminary Design Review 10/11/16
C Critical Design Review 11/10/16
D Analysis and Final Report 12/11/16
(There is a first draft and final draft)
Table of Contents
1. Mission Overview3
2. Requirements Flow Down...7
3. Design.10
4. Management17
5. Budget.19
6. Test Plan and Results...20
7. Expected Results.34
8. Launch and Recovery.36
9. Results and Analysis...37
10. Ready for Flight48
11. Lessons Learned 49
12. Message to Next Semester .49
2
Page 2 of 49 November 10, 2016
Rev C
1.0 Mission Statement
The mission of WBF is to develop a new way of

remotely and repeatedly cleaning debris and dust from
vital, exposed surfaces on the ASEN 1400 BalloonSat
flight, proving that automatic cleaning of solar panels
on spacecraft and interplanetary exploration rovers is
possible1, which will prevent degradation of mission
capabilities due to lack of power. Environmental
sensors will accompany the experimental mechanisms
to provide more information and help further prove
WBF's experimental data. Figure 1: Cleaning a Space Mirror
Scientist cleaning James Web
Mirror [Photograph]. (n.d.). NASA.gov.
1.1 Mission Overview
When Buffs Fly (WBF) hopes to develop a new way to
clean mirrors and other surfaces that must remain clean during terrestrial missions. This research,
if it yields successful results, can be integrated into rovers that are involved in the discovery and
exploration of planets. The most immediate example is the Mars rover. Our approach to this
problem is to develop a fully autonomous cleaning system.
The experiment system simulates a dirty solar panel with a dirty mirror. The effectiveness of
cleaning shall be measured by shining light onto the mirror, and measure the reflected light with
an illuminance sensor. We Were the test to be successful, this technology could be applied to the
cleaning of rover solar panels and other instruments that require a clean surface.
1
ONeil, I. (2014, April 21). Opportunity: The Amazing Self-Cleaning Mars Rover (Photos).
Retrieved October 10, 2016, from http://www.space.com/25577-mars-rover-opportunity-
solarpanels-clean.html
Page 3 of 49 December 11, 2016

Rev D
1.2 Purpose
Figure 2: Curiosity rover view from space before (left) and after (right) the wind gust, notice
the condition of the solar panels
As explained by Jim Paradise2, Mars exploration rovers are subject to large, frequent dust storms
on the surface of the planet. As a result, there is a large amount of dust accumulation on the
lenses of the camera, as well as on the solar panels the rover relies on for power. If either of these
components goes out of commission, the rover becomes useless and potentially billions of
dollars would be lost prematurely. Not only would there be money lost in the experiment, but
also the discovery of other knowledge would cease for years while another rover is designed and
sent to Mars. Mars rover Opportunity3 almost met this fate, having its solar panels be covered by
dust, until a wind gust came and blew the dust off the panels, saving it from certain rover death.
If this wind gust did not help Opportunity get clean, then Opportunity could have ceased to
function. Assuming WBF experiments yield successful results, the fate of rovers like
Opportunity will not be left to chance. Instead, these rovers could initiate a cleaning sequence to
correct it.
To simulate the condition Mars rovers experience, we cover a mirror with iron oxide (rust: the
typical makeup of Martian soil). Then, we designed an autonomous cleaning sequence in attempt
to clean it. The cleaning process will proceed as follows: 4 ml of the cleaning fluid (isopropanol)
will be pumped onto the surface of the mirror via a servo with a moving pump to push the
dynamic component of the syringe, releasing the fluid onto the mirror. This liquid will be
2
Jim Paradise, Guest Speaker in ASEN 1400
3
Retrieved October 10, 2016, from http://www.space.com/25577-mars-rover-opportunity-solar-
panels-clean.html

Rev D
allowed to settle on the surface of the mirror. After 10 seconds, a brushed motor will spin the
mirror for 27 seconds. After this, a sponge housed in the test chamber with the apparatus will
soak up the ejected isopropanol. This process will occur a total of two times at 60 minutes and 75
minutes into flight so we can make sure the BalloonSat is in the proper atmospheric pressure to
represent the Martian atmosphere.
WBF hope to see results that indicate the mirror subjected to the cleaning is better and more
functional after the flight than it was prior to flight. To determine the success of our mission,
there will be an illuminance sensor and an LED pointed at the mirror within the testing chamber
to measure the reflectivity of the mirror. This illuminance reading will show how reflective the
mirror is with the LED switched on, which directly correlates to the cleanliness of the mirror.
This series of tests will determine if this method of cleaning is feasible. The cleaning cycle will
be run at least twice to check for repeatability and to validate that the results of the first cycle.
The mirror should be cleaner than before the cleaning cycle is conducted for both cycles for the
method to be considered feasible.
The application of this experiment, if it turns out to yield successful results, could be widespread
in the exploration of Mars. After Opportunitys solar panels were cleaned by the chance
windstorm, a power boost of 70 percent from previous years levels resulted,4 allowing
significantly greater rover range per day along with bringing back science capabilities like
drilling cores to investigate more sites. Were our experiment to be applied onto such missions,
the Mars rovers will not have to rely on chance to be cleaned and survey of Mars surface will be
expedited.
The system proposed here may include a liquid cleaning method, but other researchers have
explored previous methods. Electrostatic generation methods have been implemented before in
other solar panels by Research Professor Malay Mazumder of Boston University5. Indium tin
oxide has been used as an electrode that seamlessly ran through the panel providing an alternating
electric current through the system. In a dry environment, dust particles (positive or negatively
charged) will be thrown off by the electric field created.
Sensors on the panel detect when it needs to be cleaned. This can be programmed through our
lumen sensor, which is measuring the reflectivity of the mirror throughout the cleaning process.
The NASA funded project6 that created this self-cleaning solar panel does not account for wet
4
Retrieved October 10, 2016, from http://www.space.com/25577-mars-rover-opportunity-solar-
panels-clean.html
5
Bullis, K. (2010, August 26) Self Cleaning Solar Panels. Retrieved October 10, 2016, from
http://www.technologyreview.com/s/420524/self-cleaning-solar-panels/
6
R. A. Sims, A.S. Biris, J.D. Wilson, C.U. Yuteri, M.K. Mazumder, C.I. Calle, C.R. Buhler.
Development of a Transparent Self-Cleaning Dust Shield for Solar Panels. Retrieved November
16, 2016, from

Rev D
materials4. Our apparatus, however, accounts for both dust and mud particles. If the current
cleaning method were to vibrate, muddy particles would not be able to be released from the
surface of the mirror. As there is water that has been discovered on Mars, there is no telling what
could happen to the solar panels. With data like this, one can see how important it is for cleaning
to be something that can be done on demand, because multi-million dollar missions that are
responsible for furthering humanity cannot rely on chance dust storms to save them.
http://empl.ksc.nasa.gov/Publications/Development%20of%20self%20cleaning%20dust%20shiel
d%20-%20RA%20Sims.pdf. (research supported by NASA Grant # NRA 02-OSS-01)

Rev D
2.0 Requirements Flow Down

The requirements for the mission are listed out in the flow down requirements table below. The
Level 0 Mission Requirements are all derived from the Mission Statement detailed in section I.I.
These requirements are the base requirements of the mission and are expanded upon in the Level
1 Mission Requirements. Each individual Level 0 Requirement is explained in more detail by the
corresponding Level 1 Requirement. In order to have success in the project, all of the following
requirements must be met.
Level 0 Mission Requirements:

Number Mission Objective Origin
0.1 The cleaning process shall be initiated with no human interaction. MS
0.2 The mirrors shall be cleaned and cleanliness measured in flight after MS
the cleaning process.
0.3 The cleaning process shall be initiated and completed multiple times MS
during one flight.
0.4 The apparatus shall function in diverse external conditions. MS
0.5 The BalloonSat shall be qualified to fly on the Fall 2016, ASEN1400 MS
BalloonSat flight.
0.6 The environmental sensors shall be initiated before flight and take MS
data through the duration of flight.
Level 1 Mission Requirements:

Number Mission Objective Origin
1.1.1 The process shall be coded into flight software to run automatically. 0.1
1.1.2 The process shall be repeatable and controllable via Arduino software. 0.1
1.2.1 The process shall initiate and complete the cleaning process multiple 0.2
times during one flight.
1.2.2 The mirror shall undergo cleaning for 10 seconds at 2 separate time 0.2
intervals during the flight.
1.2.3 The mirror shall be functional as an optic mirror post-cleaning. 0.2
1.3.1 The process shall be programmed into the flight code on a loop to 0.3
initialize multiple times.
1.3.2 The mechanism shall run more than 1 cycle without malfunctioning. 0.3
1.4.1 The process shall function in a low pressure environment. 0.4
1.4.2 The process shall survive high G-forces on decent. 0.4
1.4.3 The process shall function in outside air temperature range (-80 C - 20 0.4
C).
1.5.1 The total satellite weight with flight string interface shall not exceed 0.5
964 grams.
1.5.2 The flight interface tube must be secured through center of structure. 0.5
1.5.3 The satellite shall carry a Gopro-Hero4 from launch to recovery. 0.5
1.5.4 The satellite shall not cause physical damage to organisms and property 0.5
during testing and from launch to recovery.

Rev D
1.5.5 The outer structure shall be made from foam core. 0.5
1.5.6 Contact information and a US Flag shall be imprinted on exterior. 0.5
1.5.7 The satellite shall be in a reusable condition after recovery. 0.5
1.5.8 External switches shall be covered with foam core for duration of 0.5
flight.
1.5.9 The satellite shall have functional exterior lights to confirm operation 0.5
of payload.
1.5.10 The satellite shall carry sensors defined in RFP to record flight data. 0.5
1.5.11 The flight data shall be written into SD card. 0.5
1.6.1 Environmental sensors shall be activated before flight. 0.6
1.6.2 Environmental sensors shall take data from external and internal 0.6
environment.
Mission Objectives Compliance:

Mission Requirements met via:
Obj.
1.1.1 Arduino triggers experiment cycle based on time stamp comparison
1.1.2 Cleaning cycle executed twice to prove repeatability.
1.2.1 Spinning the mirrors will eject iron oxide outwards, cleaning the mirror.
1.2.2 Motors programmed to linearly spin up to maximum spin rate in 10 seconds, cycle
repeated when second altitude reached.
1.2.3 LED blinked and illuminance measured to test for functionality of the mirror post
cleaning.
1.3.1 Cycle programmed into Arduino #2, triggered preset timings, details of operation
in section III.
1.3.2 Servo and mechanism geometry allows multiple cycles to be run, 3D printed parts
filled 70-100% to be rigid.
1.4.1 Electronics not affected by low pressure (as tested in a bell jar) and liquid actively
pumped out. Servo unit has enough friction to resist turning due to pressure
changes.
1.4.2 Components secured onto structure of BalloonSat, no loose parts inside, modular
components allowing easy repair and replacement.
1.4.3 Foam core structure with insulation layer inside prevents heat loss, a heater adds
heat to the interior.
1.5.1 Foam core structure used whenever possible to reduce weight, tests done to
remove potentially unnecessary parts (ex. Static charge generator), further weight
reduction needed to meet requirement.
1.5.2 Hole laser cut in the middle of satellite top and bottom for flight tube interface.
1.5.3 Gopro-Hero4 attached inside structure via Velcro with cut out for lens to record
lateral outside view.
1.5.4 Low mass limits damage to property and launch will be in sparsely populated
area.
1.5.5 Outer structure uses laser cut foam core joined using hot glue and aluminum tape.

Rev D
1.5.6 Information stuck on the exterior on a sticker and a US flag displayed on exterior.
1.5.7 3D printed parts tightly secured to prevent damage, experiment chamber prevents
fluid spillage over to other components, batteries and camera attached via Velcro
allowing easy removal of data and replacement of batteries for next flight.
1.5.8 Foam core cover cut and taped to the exterior to cover the switches during flight.
1.5.9 Holes drilled for LED indicators from each Arduino and heater on the exterior.
1.5.10 Atmospheric data sensors attached to Arduino #1 with data written to SD card at
set intervals throughout flight.
1.5.11 Both Arduinos programmed to write data to the micro SD card in a CSV file
allowing easy upload to computer for graphing and analysis.
1.6.1 Both power switches operate the power supply for the Arduinos that are turned on
before flight.
1.6.2 Environmental sensors take data via power supply and code from the Arduinos
and batteries.

Rev D
3.0 Design
When Buffs Fly's (WBF) BalloonSat is designed to clean a mirror in order to simulate cleaning a
surface on Mars. Iron oxide dust will coat the mirrors to simulate the debris Mars rovers
encounter during their lifetime. Two Arduino boards are used for this design. The first Arduino
board is used for controlling the test chamber. The testing apparatus consists of the servo, servo
pump and syringe, motor, mirror, LED, and illuminance sensor and will activate at a
predetermined time.
1 Arduino board
controls the entire
cleaning sequence.
The first step entails
the servo initiating
at the predetermined
altitude and pushing
the syringe forward
to dispense 3 ml of
cleaning fluid to the
surface of the
mirror, guided by a
flexible rubber tube.
Isopropanol cleaner
is chosen as our
cleaning fluid due to
Figure 3: BalloonSat 3D Drawing
its low freezing temperature (-114 C), which prevents any chance of the cleaning fluid freezing
while in flight. The liquid will be allowed to soak into the mirror for 3 seconds, and then the
motor will begin to spin up the mirror, until it is spinning vigorously. The dirty liquid is flung
from the mirror around the test chamber that houses the mirror, LED, and sensor. While the
liquid drains to the bottom of the chamber, the LED turns on for 10 seconds, and the illuminance
sensor picks up a reflection of the LED off the mirror. This reading is then turned into an output
in lux, which is saved onto the SD card present in the Arduino. The second Arduino board logs
the data from the atmosphere such as humidity, internal temperature, external temperature,
atmospheric pressure, and acceleration experienced by the BalloonSat, and also saves the data
onto an SD card so it can be analyzed post-flight. WBF's BalloonSat is a combination of several
subsystems including structure, thermal, power, command and data handling (C&DH), science,
and camera. These subsystems are vital to the success of the experiment.
3.1 Structure
The base of WBF's BalloonSat is a hexagon with side lengths of 16.2 cm, and the height of the
BalloonSat is set to be 10 cm. It is constructed with foam core boards that are 4 mm thick. The
structure is assembled by attaching all sides together in a hexagonal shape with hot glue and
aluminum tape. The three switches for powering on the BalloonSat are accessible from outside
the satellite so that the entire apparatus can be switched on externally. A section of foam core
will be attached to the side of the BalloonSat around the switches in order to cover and protect
10

Rev D
them. Two holes are cut in the side of the BalloonSat to allow the camera and external
temperature sensor to gather necessary information. The top wall is detachable for the days prior
to launch so that the components can be placed inside and worked on, and aluminum tape will
secure the top at check in. The center of the BalloonSat has a circular hole which allows a piece
of 2.4mm thick flight string surrounded by a protective flight tube, with 2 washers and paper
clips supporting the attachment joints, to attach the BalloonSat onto the balloon.
3.2 Camera
A GoPro Hero4 camera is being used, and is placed parallel and flush to the side of the
BalloonSat in order to capture footage of the flight. It weighs 93 grams and has the dimensions
41mm x 59mm x 30mm. The images and videos are stored onto the onboard SD card in the
camera. It should be noted that the camera has its own battery, and is not a part of the
BalloonSat's power system. This system will need to be turned on and prepped for recording a
few minutes before launch by using a rigid pencil to push the buttons through pre-drilled holes.
3.3 Thermal
As the external temperature decreases to -80 degrees Centigrade, it is necessary to keep the
inside of the BalloonSat no colder than -10 degrees Centigrade to prevent electronics from
malfunctioning. The foam core structure, along with the 1cm thick insulation and the heater
inside are responsible for keeping the satellite warm. Since foam core and insulation are able to
retain heat in the structure fairly well, the internal temperature is expected to be within the
allowed temperature limit of greater than -10 degrees Centigrade. To add heat into the system,
the heater is placed on a side of the BalloonSat in order to keep the vital working components
within acceptable conditions. Three 9V batteries are used for keeping constant power to the
heater and Arduinos, which themselves produce heat. The batteries have dimensions 48.5 mm*
6.5mm*17.5mm and weigh about 45 g each.
3.4 Power
Seven 9V batteries in total are used to provide

power to the entire system. Three batteries are
used to power up the heater, and the other four
batteries are used to provide power for the
Arduino board, two for each board. The
batteries are attached to the inside of the
BalloonSat with Velcro. Velcro is used to
allow a lightweight, secure attachment that
Figure 4: Batteries and Power
System
still allows quick release of the batteries for easy replacement for the flight or when they run
down during the testing process.
3.5 Command and Data Handling (C&DH)

Two Arduino Uno controllers are secured onto the base of the BalloonSat are used for command
and data handling. There are LEDs on each Arduino boards that indicate the status of the
11

Rev D
Arduino boards (on or off). These LED indicators can be monitored from the outside before
launch as they protrude through the box. The data received from the various sensors are stored
on two different SD cards. One SD card logs the environmental data. All environmental sensors,
with the exception of the pressure sensor and illuminance sensor, are connected to one Arduino
Board. The other SD card logs data for the experiment being conducted on the BalloonSat. The
illuminance sensor and pressure sensor are connected to the other Arduino Board in order to run
the experiment effectively.
3.6 Apparatus Design

The apparatus is built with one small syringe attached to thin rubber tubing filled with 8 ml of
isopropanol, one aluminum coated 50mm Edmund Optics mirror attached to a Hobby King
brushed motor via a 3D printed part specially designed for this purpose, one 9g servo, an LED,
and an illuminance sensor. The servo, motor, sensor, and LED are connected to an Arduino board.
When the set timestamp is reached,
power to the servo is activated, and
it will begin to spin and turn the
stationary rod for 27 seconds (a
time determined through
experimentation), ultimately
squeezing out 4ml of isopropanol
from the syringe. The liquid then
proceeds to clear debris from the
surface of the mirror after soaking
in it for five seconds. The motors
are then turned on to spin the
mirrors and fling the debris and
cleaning solution to the wall of the
containment unit and allowed to
drain to the bottom of the cage
Figure 5: Experiment Apparatus
3.7 Special Features
The special features of our BalloonSat

include the syringe pump and the
motor/mirror unit. The pump is designed to
be operated by a servo altered to spin
continuously with high amounts of torque
and controlled via an Arduino board. Once
the predetermined time is reached, the
system will activate, and the sequence
described above will complete, which is
only possible because of the specially made
Figure 6: Experiment Apparatus

12
3D Drawing
Rev D
hardware designed for this purpose. The servo will be switched on, rotating a stationary rod. The
rod then forces the pump to push forward by forcing the nut within the pump to move closer
toward the base of the syringe, as the rotation of the threaded rod, which is stationary, forces the
nut to move along it. Once the servo pushes out the liquid, the mirror then spins to clean itself.
This spinning of the mirror causes a centripetal force that results in the fluid to spread and thus
cleans the mirror and collects the rust that coats the surface of the mirror. Then, the mirror is
spun up to full power, causing the debris and liquid to be flung around the mirror housing, which
also contains a fitted piece of slightly-absorbent insulation. The fitted insulation serves two
purposes in the system: it soaks up any fluid that gets flung onto it, reducing the amount of free
liquid in the satellite, and also provides stability for the motor/mirror. As stated prior, the
effectiveness of the cleaning shall be measured by the increase in the illuminance measured by a
lux sensor. The mirror is exposed to an LED, which is surrounded on all sides except for down,
toward the mirror, to prevent any light not reflected off the mirror to reach the lux sensor. The
insulation, mirror, and the motor are all encased in an 'experimental test chamber' so that the
fluid does not spill over any electrical components. The box also prevents any breaking parts
from damaging the other sensors.
Figure 7: Complete Experiment

Apparatus
Figure 8: Motor and Mirror Design

13

Rev D
3.8 Wiring Strategy

Wires shall be tied together using zip ties to form wiring tracks. There will be a track for each set
of wires running from one component (ex. Arduino #1) to another component (ex. Servo and
motors). Tracks sharing the same pathway for any portion are merged together for the portion
they are on the same pathway to reduce the number of zip ties required. Wiring tracks makes it
easier to trace where wires run and prevents wires from interfering with the experiment
apparatus. The tracks will be guided to the inner walls of the satellite as promptly as the
configuration of the components allows, so they will be out of the way of the syringe pump,
motor housing, batteries, and the heater.
3.9 Systems Operation Description

The system consists of two Arduino Unos controlling operation of the experiment and collecting
data along with a separate heater system and a camera, as shown by the Functional Block
Diagram below. The camera and heater will be switched on right before flight.
Figure 9: FBD
14

Rev D
3.10 Concept of Operations

Arduino #1 will be
turned on manually
via an external power
switch and a blinking
LED visible from the
outside will be used to
confirm its operation.
Data recording will
begin immediately
after the boards are
turned on. The
Arduino board will
receive voltage
readings from the
external thermometer,
internal thermometer,
accelerometer and
humidity sensor via
its analog input ports
and convert the
Figure 10: Concept of Operations

Diagram
voltage into a value using a pre-programmed calibration curve created during ground sensors
calibration. The data will be written via a micro SD shield onto a 2GB micro SD memory card.
Data is recorded every half second to get a clear view of the acceleration during burst, fall and
parachute opening.
Arduino #2 will be turned on via an external power switch and a blinking LED designated ON
LED in the functional block diagram above. Arduino #2 controls the experiment which will be
triggered to run at 5, 60, and 75 minutes.
At T+ 5 minutes, Arduino #2 will measure ambient light in the test chamber from the
illuminance sensor for 10 seconds at 0.2 second intervals. Next, BLINK LED will be
illuminated for 10 seconds while the illuminance sensor records data. This process will
determine the starting level of reflected light from the mirror.
At T+ 60 minutes, Arduino #2 will continue recording illuminance data once every 50

milliseconds and turn the LED back on for 10 seconds. This event will be considered time(t)=0
(time in seconds) of the cleaning process. At t=10, the servo will activate, forcing 4 ml of
Isopropanol onto the surface of the mirror. At t=25, a pulse width modulation signal is used to
spin the motor connected to the mirror to 3200 RPM to throw off the cleaning solution and
removed iron oxide particles. At t=42, the power to the mirror will be removed and the spinning
15

Rev D
will discontinue. The fluid and iron oxide powder will be collected on the insulation below the
mirror to prevent spillage on other components. The insulation is in a watertight circular plastic
container with the sponge glued onto the sides and aluminum tape on the outside. At t=45, the
whole process will have been completed, and the data will be collected by illuminating the LED
and allowing the illuminance sensor to read the reflectivity of the mirror
The cycle is repeated 1 more time at the 75-minute mark to prove that the system can be run
more than once, satisfying mission requirement 0.1.2 and to provide a second attempt in cleaning
if the first cycle was not very successful. This concludes the operation of Arduino #2 for flight,
but Arduino #1 will continue recording atmospheric data throughout the remainder of the ascent,
burst, parachute opening, and descent to Earth. The g forces experienced during initial descent
and parachute opening may throw some iron oxide powder back onto the mirror, but data needed
to analyze the cleaning process is already recorded onto the micro SD card.
3.10 Final Parts
Item: Weight (g) Price ($) Ordered From: Part Number

10ml medical 8.5 10.00 amazon.com 42142500
syringe
Mirror 29 80.00 edmundscientific.com #43-327-522
3D Printed Parts 85 25.00 ITLL N/A
Balloonshield (2) 29 0.00 provided N/A
Circuit Board 34 0.00 provided N/A
SD Cards (2) 4 0.00 provided N/A
Flight Tube 18 0.00 provided N/A
Sponge 3.9 0.00 ITLL N/A
Batteries (5) 173.4 0.00 provided S-17126
Power Supplies 27 0.00 provided N/A
(2)
Heater 38 0.00 provided N/A
Component
Motor 5 15.00 hobbyking.com EP-BRUSH8-M
Go-Pro HERO 4 93 0.00 borrowed from friend CHDHX-401
Foam Core 158.4 0.00 provided N/A
Insulation 30 0.00 provided N/A
Mirror Housing 2 0.00 ITLL N/A
Box
Washers + Paper 5 0.00 provided N/A
Clip
Servo 18 0.00 ITLL B01608II3Q
Total 954 135.00
16

Rev D
4.0 Management
Team 8 (otherwise deemed: When Buffs Fly) has set forth a rigorous schedule for the completion
of parts, structures, wiring, and coding. Design logistics has skewed the schedule slightly, but
those problems have been alleviated allowing the schedule to be adhered to once more.
4.1 Schedule
When Buffs Fly has a commitment to meet one to two times a week, Sunday being the set day of
meeting. Depending on the task to be completed, the location of meeting will be adjusted, but the
main areas for meeting will be Brackett Hall and/or the ITLL. If ever changes are made to the
place, time, or date of meeting, all team members will be notified. If the team is behind in the
schedule, additional days will be added to stay on track with the schedule. As the launch date
approaches, daily meeting times will be added in order to increase productivity.
Date: Event:
9/11 Team Meeting: complete Conceptual Design Review (CoDR)
9/13 CoDR presentation @9:15am, CoDR DUE (7:00am)
9/14 Team Meeting: assemble shield and sensors; Begin work on Proposal
9/18 Team Meeting: complete Proposal
9/19 Proposal DUE (8:00am)
9/21 Team Meeting: Assemble Heater
9/23 Authority To Proceed (ATP) by appointment
9/27 DD Rev A/B assigned
9/30 Team Meeting: begin work on Preliminary Design Review (PDR)
10/02 Team Meeting: complete PDR
10/06 PDR presentation @9:15am, PDR DUE (7:00am); DD Rev C assigned
10/07 Team Meeting: begin work on DD Rev A/B
10/09 Team Meeting: work on DD Rev A/B
10/10 Team Meeting: complete DD Rev A/B
10/11 DD Rev A/B DUE
10/12 External Structure, Internal Structures, pressure sensor -> Arduino code
10/13 MID-Semester Team Evaluations assigned
10/16 Arduino code, all moving parts complete, apparatus tests, heater & cold test
10/18 MID-Semester Team Evaluations DUE
10/19 Whip test, drop test, stair test, camera test, electronics test, wire electronics
10/23 Power systems, software test
10/25 RFF Cards assigned
10/27 BalloonSat COMPLETE
10/28 Team Meeting: begin work on DD Rev C
10/30 Team Meeting: work on DD Rev C
11/03 Mission Simulation Test
11/04 Team Meeting: begin working on Launch Readiness Review (LRR)
11/06 Team Meeting: complete LRR
11/08 LRR presentation @9:15, LRR DUE (7:00am)
11/09 Team Meeting: complete DD Rev C
11/10 DD Rev C DUE (4:00pm)
17

Rev D
11/11 Final BalloonSat Weigh-in and TURN IN by appointment; RFF cards DUE
11/12 LAUNCH DAY @6:50am
11/15 DD Rev D assigned
11/16 Team Meeting: complete Quick Look Post Launch Presentation
11/17 Quick Look Post Launch Presentation DUE 7:00am
11/27 Team Meeting: complete Homework 9; begin work on DD Rev D & Team Video
11/30 Team Meeting: work on DD Rev D
12/01 Final Team Evaluations assigned
12/02 Team Meeting: Complete DD Rev D
12/03 Design Expo @8:00am-1:00pm; 1st Draft of DD Rev D DUE & Final Team Videos
DUE
12/06 All Data DUE; Final Presentations DUE @4:00 pm
12/08 Final Team Evaluations DUE
12/09 Team Meeting: complete DD Rev D Final
12/11 Final DD Rev D DUE @2:00pm
4.2 Management Organization Chart

Team 08: When Buffs Fly Management Job 1 Job 2
Chart
Michael Fruge Project Manager Coding
Prem Pakabunto Coding Lead Structures
Yang Lee Thermal Lead Structure
Destin Woods Apparatus Design Lead Videography
Davis Butte Wiring Lead Budget
Taylor Johnson Budget Manager Thermal
Aiden Quade Wiring
The team members of WBF consist of students from the fall ASEN 1400 Gateway to Space class
of 2016, all majoring in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder, located in
Boulder, Colorado. A slightly larger team was needed this year due to the larger class size, in
order to limit the BalloonSat count and prevent excessively lowering the mass limit on each
teams BalloonSat. A team leader was elected at the start of the semester and at least two areas of
the project were assigned to each team member to allow team members to explore new areas in an
engineering project as well as play to their strengths.
18

Rev D
5.0 Budgets
Item: Weight (g) Price ($) Ordered From:
10ml medical 8.5 10.00 amazon.com
syringe
Mirror 29 80.00 edmundscientific.com
3D Printed Parts 85 25.00 ITLL
Balloonshield (2) 29 0.00 provided
Circuit Board 34 0.00 provided
SD Cards (2) 4 0.00 provided
Flight Tube 18 0.00 provided
Sponge 3.9 0.00 ITLL
Batteries (5) 173.4 0.00 provided
Power Supplies 27 0.00 provided
(2)
Heater 38 0.00 provided
Component
Motor 5 15.00 hobbyking.com
Camera 93 0.00 borrowed from friend
Foam Core 158.4 0.00 provided
Insulation 30 0.00 provided
Mirror Housing 2 0.00 ITLL
Box
Washers + Paper 5 0.00 provided
Clip
Servo 18 0.00 ITLL
Ionic Air Purifier 6 5.00 Amazon.com
(2)
Total 960 135.00
19

Rev D
6.0 Test Plan and Results

The BalloonSat is certain to experience a wide range of different impact forces from landing, g-
forces that could cause shearing in the wire holding tube, temperatures ranging from -80 degrees
Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius, and pressures lowering to 1.21 kilopascals. Therefore, it is vital to
test the apparatus a multitude of times before launch. A series of tests are designed below to test
all aspects of the BalloonSat. The results obtained from these tests allow the team to further
understand the capabilities of the BalloonSat, and modify it according to its shortcomings.
6.1 Structure - Whip Test

Once the balloon bursts, The BalloonSat will begin its
decent. The BalloonSat does not have an aerodynamic
design, and is not designed to travel smoothly at high
velocities through the atmosphere. Consequently, as
the entire system travels downwards, the BalloonSat
tumbles around violently. The flight string running
through the satellite will cause a very aggressive
swinging of the satellite. The swinging motion caused
by the turbulent flow around the BalloonSat and
resonance generates a great amount of G force, which
could potentially rip the structure of the BalloonSat
apart. In order to test the structural integrity of the
BalloonSat under high G forces, a whip test will be
conducted after the structure is built.
According to the data obtained from past groups, the

average G force experienced by the BalloonSat is
approximately .25 G, but the maximum G force
experienced is about 1.6 G. Therefore, our whip test is
Figure 11: Whip Test designed to generate the same amount of G force to
determine whether if the BalloonSat could sustain
such forces.
The test shall be conducted away from windows, people, and other fragile property to ensure the
safety of others. If available, the test will be conducted on the field behind the business building.
6.2 Structure - Drop Test

After the parachute is deployed, drag increases and the entire system's velocity drops down to a
point that is slow enough to land without destroying the BalloonSat. Nevertheless, the velocity is
still relatively high when the BalloonSat hits the ground. The landing speed has the potential to
generate enough momentum to decimate weak structures. The strength of the external structure is
crucial to save our experiment apparatus as well as our data handling systems from destruction
upon landing.
20

Rev D
The drop test is relatively simple in comparison to other

tests. An 800-gram bundle of bolts is placed and secured in
the box with duct tape. The box is then tossed off the bridge
connecting the Discovery Learning Center and the
Integrated Teaching and Learning Laboratory. This test
would determine whether if our structure is strong enough
to withstand the force of impact with the ground. If the
structure were to break, the design of the broken
components will be redesigned and reconstructed based on
the severity of the malfunction.
Due to the heavy traffic coming through this area, some of

our team members will be positioned to advise pedestrians
to take an alternative route as there will be a heavy box
falling down. We have to make sure our testing is safe for
our team as well as those around us.
Figure 12: Drop Test

6.3 Structure - Stair Test
The purpose of the stair test is to simulate dragging along the

ground after the satellite has landed. Once the BalloonSat has
landed, the open parachute has the potential to catch wind and
drag the satellite along the ground. There is a high probability that
the landing area will be windy when the BalloonSat touches
down. This creates another concern in terms of the structural
integrity of the BalloonSat. During this process, the BalloonSat is
subjected to bumps on multiple corners of the external structure.
The stair test is designed to tackle this issue. After the structure is
completed, an 800-gram simulation weight is added and secured
in the box. Using the stairs in the Discovery Learning Center near
the Space Grant office, we will kick the BalloonSat with the
appropriate weight simulators down the stairs multiple times to
simulate the rough landing conditions. Similar to the drop test,
teammates will be at the bottom of the stairs to ensure other
people's safety in informing them of the current test about to take
place. If the structure were to break, the design of the broken
components will be redesigned and reconstructed.
Figure 13: Stair Test
21

Rev D
6.4 Thermal - Heater and Insulation Test

As the external temperature during flight could
reach negative eighty degrees Celsius, insulation
and heating are crucial to the well- being of the
electronics as well as the success of our mission.
As the working temperature of most sensors on
board is greater than negative twenty degrees, the
internal temperature must be above that critical
temperature. If the system were to fail, the Arduino
boards will not be collecting data, and the
experiment will end in failure. In order to prevent
such tragedy from happening, insulation and a
heater are added in the BalloonSat.
To test the effectiveness of the heater and

insulation, multiple steps will be taken. The
BalloonSat, with the heater installed, will be turned
on and placed in a container full of dry ice. The dry
ice is enough to drop the temperature of the system
to approximately negative 65 degrees (as shown by
cold test results). The entire system will then be
placed in the container for one and a half hours.
The Arduino boards will be turned on to record the
Figure 14: Cold Test internal and external temperature. For the test to be
considered successful, the lowest temperature must
be above negative ten degrees Celsius. Were the test to fail, more power will be directed to the
heater, and another test will be conducted again.
6.5 Electronics - Camera Test

Every group is required to carry a camera in order to capture the lovely features of the view near
space. However, cameras are designed to be used under 'ordinary' conditions, not at the edge of
space. Therefore, the camera has to be tested for the conditions near space. The main issue the
camera faces is the low temperature environment. As the camera lens has to protrude out from the
side of the BalloonSat, it is subjected to the low external temperature.
The camera test in cold temperatures will be conducted after the heater is guaranteed to function.
Once the thermal subsystem is completed, the camera is then placed and secured into position.
Similar to the heater and insulation tests, the entire system will be placed into a container full of
dry ice. The camera is then turned on, and it'll record for two and a half hours. After two hours
have elapsed, the system will be taken out and unsealed. The video will be inspected. Were the
camera to malfunction, it should be visible in the recorded video. If this were to happen, the
camera will be repositioned closer to the heater, and the test will be run again.
22

Rev D
6.6 Apparatus Tests
6.6.1 Torque Force Test

The experiment apparatus involves
pushing a syringe using a modified
servo that turns continuously, a
stationary grooved rod, and a moving
pump component. Seen from the
figure, the rod is being operated by a
nine-gram servo that is controlled
through an Arduino board. However,
the force needed to squirt out the fluid
is almost impossible to be determined
through theoretical calculations.
Therefore, it has to be tested
experimentally. The test has to be
conducted after the experimental
apparatus is assembled. The main goal of this experiment
Figure 15: Syringe Pump 3D is to determine the required voltage and current needed
Drawing to for the syringe pump to operate. Three volts will be
tested first. If three volts is not enough, five volts will be
tested. The success of the test is determined by the device's capability to squirt out the fluid. As
the tests conducted show, through qualitative results obtained, 5 volts was the necessary voltage
to make the apparatus operate.
6.6.2 Motor / Mirror Unit Test
In order to clean the mirror thoroughly, the mirror has to

be spun at a high enough velocity for the liquid to be
spread outwards. As the primary objective of the mission
is to test the cleaning system's effectiveness, this
component dictates the success of the experiment. The
motors are connected to and controlled by the Arduino
boards. A transistor will allow the Arduino 5V power
supply to be used as this gives sufficient current to run
the motor compared to the digital pins, and a PWM
digital pin will be used to turn on or off the transistor
plus control motor speed so that the acceleration
schedule can be followed. A mount will be made for the
mirror, and the motor will be mounted on the bottom of
the mount. The entire system will be powered, and three
ml of liquid will be squirted onto the mirror. For the test
Figure 16: Motor RPM Test
23

Rev D
to be successful, the liquid must distribute throughout the mirror and fly off. It was determined
that 5V is plenty of voltage for the mirror to spin at the desired speed.
The PWM function of the Arduino allows an 8-bit pulse width setting, from 0 (off) to 255 (full
time power, no off pulse). On the first test, water was used and the pulse with modulation setting
was 230 as this gives the desired spin RPM. Water was ejected rapidly from the mirror in 2
seconds during the acceleration of the mirror which means that isopropanol (used for the real
flight) will be ejected off before all of the iron oxide is taken with it. To alleviate this problem, a
gradual acceleration schedule was developed and adjusted after each repeated dry run.
The final schedule is as follows: 3 seconds at a setting of 29 for startup, this gives a slow
acceleration that does not shift the liquid. This is followed by setting of 35 for another 3 seconds
to increase acceleration slightly. The next setting is 47 for 3 seconds which maintains acceleration
and stabilizes spin speed below the maximum vibration zone for the mirror unit. At this speed,
water slowly spreads towards the edge of the mirror, taking any dirt particles with it. After this is
a period of maximum acceleration with a setting of 255 for 2.5 seconds, accelerating past the
RPM of max vibration for a brief period of shaking to dislodge any larger particles of dirt.
Maximum acceleration was used to prevent the mirror spinning at maximum vibration RPM for
too long. The next setting is 58 for 3 seconds to reduce the acceleration and then 62 for 2 seconds
to stabilize the spin at a constant RPM above the high vibration band RPM. After stabilizing with
minimal vibration, maximum acceleration setting of 255 is used for 7 seconds to spin up to the
max RPM of the cycle and then a setting of 230 is maintained for 3 seconds to run at max cycle
RPM. Throughout this 10 seconds of accelerating transient and constant speed operation, smaller
dirt particles and water droplets that stick to the mirror are all ejected from the mirror and then a
setting of 0 which corresponds to off is set to allow the mirror to decelerate. The mirror takes 30-
35 seconds to decelerate to a stop.
As the motor spins at a high rpm, it is important not to touch the mirror or hold onto the motor in
order to prevent injuries.
6.6.3 Illuminance Sensor Test
As we are using an illuminance sensor to determine how clean the mirror is, we need a baseline
test to ensure that the sensor is working properly. The test is relatively simple. The illuminance
sensor will be attached onto the Arduino board that's responsible for the syringe pump and the
motor. A test code will then be written for the illuminance sensor to collect data. After powering
on the Arduino board, the sensor shall start recording the illuminance. The sensor will be covered
for a short period of time and then let go. This will be repeated for a few times. We then plot the
data recorded. There should be a few downward spikes, as there are moments when it is not
absorbing any light. The test will be considered successful if there are significant low values
within the graph that corresponds to us covering up the sensor.
24

Rev D
As well as the afore mentioned test, there will be other tests done
on the illuminance sensor. One such test is conducted by bringing
the entire 'experimental test chamber' into a very dark room,
switching on the Arduino, and conducting a test with the LED and
mirrors involved.
1) The illuminance sensor is allowed to pick up ambient light
with the test chamber closed
2) The LED turns on after a small period of time and is reflected
off the mirror.
3)The sensor reads the illuminance inside the chamber
Conducting this test shows that the experimental test chamber is
assembled properly and is allowing us to pick up good data
Figure 17: Illuminance Sensor Test
6.7 Software Compatibility Test

As everything apart from the heater is driven by the Arduino boards, the code must work or our
experiment could ultimately fail. Clarity requires the software to activate the servos and dispense
the cleaning solution twice. The code will be tested to make sure the servos spins properly and
that the cleaning dispensers are correctly calibrated before launch. The syringes will be filled with
isopropanol to 8ml and the servos programmed to push 4ml in each cycle. The Arduino will be
turned on and the operation of the servo pumping the syringe will be visually verified. If the
servos do not function as expected, the code will be adjusted until it properly functions with
accurate pumping of 4ml of liquid. Test code is then written so that the system can be triggered
with a potentiometer in place of the pressure sensor. The potentiometer will be slowly turned and
the apparatus monitored to check for proper operation of the cleaning cycle. The SD card will be
extracted and checked for proper recording of data in a format that can be easily graphed. The
software will be edited and retested until proper writing of data is performed with good reliability
(successfully perform as intended in multiple repeats).
6.8 Day in the Life Test

After testing every sub-subsystem within the apparatus, the entire apparatus will be put together
and be tested as a single unit. This will be conducted after all of the other apparatus tests are
completed. As the rest of the apparatus tests must be successful before the entire BalloonSat is
assembled, the functionality test is most likely to be successful. The sequence of events that will
occur is as follows:
1) The sensor takes a measurement of the ambient light in the system, which is close to 0 lux
2) The light turns on, and the mirror begins to spin all the grime and water off the surface.
25

Rev D
3) The spin cycle completes and the LED turns on again, and the sensor takes more measurements
of the system
4) The LED turns off and the sensor takes 1 more set of measurements to ensure the starting and
ending point with no light is consistent
Since this experiment is unprecedented, no data verifying these results could be found
6.9 Sensors Calibration

The sensors on board will be calibrated during the sensor test. The zero offset on each sensor is
determined to decrease the systematic errors during the experiment 30km above sea level.
Pressure sensor:
The pressure sensor used is the standard pressure sensor used for all ASEN 1400 flights. The
pressure sensor was tested using a solder sucker to ensure that the sensor read decreases in
pressure. The code used was the Rev C of the environmental sensors flight code used on ASEN
1400 flights. To check the accuracy of the code and make further calibrations if necessary,
sensors Arduino was placed in a vacuum bell jar at the Colorado Space Grant Consortium office
on the 3rd floor of the Discovery Learning Center and power was supplied by a 9V battery and
data written to a micro SD card. Data from the bell jar's own pressure sensor was also recorded
onto another micro SD card and the data was compared at the end of the test.
Data from the bell jar pressure sensor started off at 12.21 psi while the pressure sensor on the
Arduino read 12.27 psi after the sensor stabilized after the power on sequence which was an error
of just 0.6%. Both sets of data showed a very similar shaped graph and reached a minimum value
within 8% of each other. The bell jar pressure sensor demonstrated that the minimum pressure
reached and maintained for some time was 0.25 psi while the minimum pressure recorded by our
sensor was 0.27 psi. This pressure reading will be used to calculate altitude in metric after the
flight and calculate the ascent and descent rates of the flight string by comparing the calculated
altitudes with the timestamps.
Humidity Sensor:
The humidity sensor will be tested in a simple manner: comparing the initial reading to the
weather forecast, and blow onto the sensor to see if there is a significant change in humidity. As
the initial reading of the humidity sensor should be the same as the surrounding humidity, we will
compare the initial reading before blowing on it to the weather forecast to see if they are the same.
And as the human breath contains a significant amount of water vapor, breathing onto the
humidity sensor should significantly change the humidity reading. For the test to be considered
successful, the initial reading should agree with the weather forecast, and there should be a
significant spike in the graph.
Data of relative humidity from the video will be plotted against the recorded voltages obtained
from the micro SD card to create a calibration curve for the humidity sensor. A function with +/-
5% accuracy will be derived to turn voltage into relative humidity readings which will be
recorded in a CSV file for ease of data analysis after the BalloonSat flight.
Thermometers:
26

Rev D
The thermometers will be tested along the cold test. As we put the heater unit and the Arduinos
into the cooler filled with dry ice, we also put two thermometers inside the cooler, one inside the
BalloonSat and one outside. After the cold test is finished, we compare the Arduino data to the
thermometer. The end temperatures should match. Were they to match, the test is considered
successful. If the data does not match, the formula used to calculate the temperature data from
voltage will be adjusted so that the recorded voltages are outputted very close the temperature on
the thermometer outside the BalloonSat. Extrapolated data across the entire operating voltage
range of the thermometer must not be over 2x above the maximum or below the minimum
temperatures of the thermometers operating range as indicated on the data sheet for the new
formula to be acceptable.
During this calibration test, team members shall wear thick gloves to prevent burns from dry ice
and avoid inhaling the smoke emitted from the dry ice. The test should be carried out outdoors or
in a well-ventilated area to prevent carbon dioxide build up. Remaining dry ice should not be left
in freezers or indoors to prevent carbon dioxide and pressure build up which could be fatal for
living organisms and cause damage to property.
Accelerometer:
The accelerometer calibration will be conducted using information on the sensor data sheet and
then tested first by rotating the sensor through various axis and holding it still for 5 seconds at a
time and then viewing the data recorded on the micro SD card. The acceleration in the upright
axis should read 1g, otherwise minor corrections to the function converting voltage to g will be
needed. Turning the sensor upside down should yield a negative reading.
6.10 Safety:
Always be cautious with all equipment. Everyone will wear proper safety gear such as: safety
glasses and gloves when soldering and handling dry ice. Do not proceed with construction of
materials without proper training on machinery. Be careful when dealing with hazardous
materials such as the inhalation of solder and possible consumption or contamination of cleaning
fluid. Impact and structures testing will be conducted away from windows and roads to prevent
damage to university property and infrastructure.
6.11 Test Results:

Stair test:
The stair test caused significant dents on the sides of the BalloonSat
structure. After further inspection, it is concluded that the dents were caused
by the weight inside the box. The bundle of bolts duct taped to the floor of
the BalloonSat came loose during the test, causing them to swing around
inside the box. The collision between the weight and the wall of the
BalloonSat causes the walls to dent. Nevertheless, the BalloonSat remained
intact after the test, proving that the strength of the design is sufficient.
Figure 18: Stair Test Result

27

Rev D
Whip Test:
The whip test did no damage to the structure. All of the damages in the
figure above were the results from the stair test. This showed that our
structure is capable of sustaining 1.6Gs of force without breaking.
Seeing that the structure is capable of withstanding the G force, no
modification will be done on the structure in terms of sustaining the G
force.
Figure 19: Whip Test Result

Drop Test:
The lid came loose during the drop test. The lack of tape for securing
the lid onto the BalloonSat caused the lid to come loose. The bundle
of bolts used as simulation weights also came off the BalloonSat after
the drop. Insufficient amount of adhesive caused the simulation
weights and the lid to come off. The test also dented the corners
significantly. As the BalloonSat structure is now damaged beyond
repair and is not suitable for flight, a new box was constructed,
designed to be sturdier in these problem areas, as well as smaller to
accommodate the new design of the experimental apparatus.
Figure 20: Drop Test Result

Software Compatibility test results:
Upon hooking up the potentiometer in place of the pressure sensor, it was determined that the
communication between the potentiometer and the servo was having issues, as there was never a
successful instance of activating the servo with the potentiometer, and after hooking up the actual
altimeter, these same results were obtained. Due to time constraints faced by the team, it was
determined after this test that the satellite would be more fail-safe, and also have the same
function, if the cleaning sequence was determined by time instead of a pressure reading. It was
then decided that the sequence shall initiate at 60 and 75 minutes, with a control test occurring
earlier in flight, just after launch.
28

Rev D
Cold Test and Temperature Sensor Results:
The data from this does not

accurately represent what is
expected to happen, because
in actual flight the satellite
will be subjected to breaking
through the tropopause where
temperature remains constant
and then increases thereafter.
WBF expects an increase in
the external temperature and
gradual increase in the internal
temp as the heater adds heat to
the satellite interior at a higher
rate than energy lost to the
environment due to the
shallower temperature
gradient between the inside and outside of the box
Figure 21: Dry Ice Test Result
above the tropopause level.
According to our cold test results, our temperature sensors work, and so did our insulation and
heater. The internal temperature dropped down to approximately 7 degrees. Although this is
extremely low, it is nonetheless higher than the minimum working temperature of the on board
instruments.
On the internal temperature graph (red), there is a sudden drop in temperature; there is a sudden
rise in temperature on the external temperature graph (blue) at approximately the same time. This
is caused by us opening the box, checking on the status of the heater. Prior to this test, our heater
had failed numerous times. We consequently checked the status of our heater during this test to
make sure that it is still functioning. As we opened the box, the external (box) temperature rises
due to contact with warm air, and the internal temperature dropped because a small piece of the
dry ice dropped onto the BalloonSat.
29

Rev D
Illuminance Sensor Test Result:
Our illuminance sensor test is

successful as there are significant
low spikes within the graph. The
extremely significant decrease in lux
at the very start is caused by the
group members standing around the
sensor. This blocks off a significant
amount of light. We then covered up
the sensor three times, indicated by
the sharp downward peak in the
graph. This test shows that our
sensor is indeed working.
The illuminance data is the most

important data recorded by this
satellite, as the success of our
mission hangs on the fact that more
light generated by our LED is
detected by our sensor as the
subsequent cleaning cycles happen.
That being said, the first test that
was conducted was to ensure that
our sensor would pick up light
from the LED whilst not seeing
any other ambient light.
Figure 22 & 23: Illuminance

Sensor Test Result
30

Rev D
Day in the Life test result:
The most important test

conducted, this test is proof
that Project Clarity's payload
is actually effective and
functional. This test requires
the flawless integration of
almost every subsystem on the
satellite; the servo, motor,
sensors, LED, and the
carefully designed 3d printed
parts must all work in
conjunction together for this
test to produce results. The
flight code was modified
slightly so the test was controlled by time, instead of
Figure 24: Day in the Life pressure, but the results should look the same.
Illuminance Test Result
Pressure Sensor Bell Jar Test Result:
The above graph is the graph

of our bell jar test. This test is
designed to show that our
pressure sensor is actually
working. The start and the end
have the same value, as the air
pressure in and outside of the
bell jar are in equilibrium. As
the air is being sucked up, the
pressure inside the bell jar
decreases exponentially, and
reaches a minimum. As the
bell jar is powered off, there is
a significant increase in
pressure.
Figure 25: Day in the Life Bell

Jar Test Result 31

Rev D
Relative Humidity Sensor Test Result:
The conditions of
humidity in the
atmosphere as
altitude rises is
unknown to us, but to
simulate more
intense humidity
conditions WBF
conducted tests using
temperature as the
independent variable
and humidity as the
dependent variable.
This was decided on
because humidity
happens to be a
function of
temperature, with
colder temperatures almost always showing a lower
Figure 26: Humidity Sensor Test humidity than warmer temperatures in a similar
Result environment. Thus, the humidity tests and the best
expected data we could create was created by:
1) Switching the BalloonSat on in room temperature environment.
2) After a minute of sitting in room temperature, put the BalloonSat into a freezer
3) Let the BalloonSat sit in the freezer for 2 minutes, and pull it out back into a room temperature
environment
Accelerometer Test Result:
32
Figure 27: Accelerometer Test Result (x-y)
directions) Page 32 of 49 December 11, 2016
Rev D
Figure 28: Accelerometer Test Result (z direction)

The first graph is the graph of the acceleration on the x and y direction, and the second graph is
the acceleration on the z direction. For the accelerometer test, we shook the box in different
directions. We expect to see a lot of significant spikes on the graph. Our hypothesis is supported
by our test data in that for the first few seconds, the change in acceleration are extremely
significant. There're also some small spikes after the initial change in acceleration. They are
caused by us moving the box and placing the box back onto the table. The accelerometer is thus
determined to be operational.
Camera test results:
The GoPro Hero 4 is expected to get approximately 3 hours of

battery life with the camera's video settings at 1080p and 60
frames per second. According to most Gopro reviews, they
work flawlessly at temperatures as low as 10 degrees
Centigrade. In addition, in an unsuccessful cold test conducted
with the GoPro active, the temperature reached below 10
internal, getting as low as even 25 degrees Centigrade, and
the GoPro was still fully operational Therefore, the
temperature of the camera is irrelevant because it works in a
very wide range of temperatures, as verified by the
Figure 29: Camera Test Result manufacturer, as well as our own tests conducted.
33

Rev D
7.0 Expected Results

7.1 Data retrieval
The Arduino boards export .CSV files. After the BalloonSat lands, and after all tests were
conducted, the micro SD cards get retrieved, and they get read on computers using a micro SD to
SD/MMC converter. The .CSV files are imported to excel. The data is then arranged and labeled.
A plot of the individual data versus time is then be graphed and saved. This retrieval procedure is
the same for all tests and post-flight analysis.
7.2 Pressure Results
The pressure readings taken on

this flight will replicate those
of previous flights made by
prior ASEN 1400 teams, along
with previous bell jar tests
conducted by WBF. As
expected, the pressure will
decrease as time goes on, but
the distinction between the
ground tests and the actual
flight is that the pressure
decrease on the ground was
caused by just that, a pressure
decrease, while the pressure
decrease during flight will be
caused by an increase in
Figure 30: Expected Pressure Change as Altitude Increases altitude, thus causing the
ACTIVITY: MAXIMUM BREATHABLE ALTITUDE BalloonSat to travel into
FOR HUMANS. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2016 decreased atmosphere.
Nonetheless, despite the
differences in cause, the expected pressure graph should look the same.
One thing to note about this graph is that unlike the expected flight graph, the increase in pressure
should not be so rapid and the timescale will be stretched out about 4x as long as the timescale
shown. Other than that, this data compares well to data recorded by "The Engineering
Toolbox.com", as shown to the right.
34

Rev D
7.3 Humidity:
The humidity
test result from
the flight would
be different
from what we
tested
nonetheless. As
the balloon
ascend towards
space, it could
encounter
clouds. This
would greatly
increase the
relative
humidity
measured, as
clouds are
Figure 31: Expected Humidity vs Altitude chunks of
Data from MCC flight - 3/28/15 - Near Space Science. (2015, floating water
March 28). Retrieved November 10, 2016 vapor. We
hypothesize that
the relative humidity would be the highest when it is on the ground, as the density of water vapor
is the greatest. It will then decrease as the altitude increases. But when the BalloonSat passes
through the clouds, the humidity shall increase. After passing through the clouds, the humidity
should decrease gradually again until the balloon bursts. After burst, it should seemingly go
through an inverse path from the way up, but happen quicker and possibly with bigger spikes
from condensation.
7.4 Temperature
Based on the temperature profiles for the

lower atmosphere, Clarity is expected to
maintain the minimum operating
temperature in temperatures as extreme as
70 degrees Centigrade. That being said,
Clarity has a high resistance thermal
containment system, and is outfitted with a
heater that will be located near the vital,
temperature dependent sensors and
components. Due to this, along with the test
results, Clarity is well suited to survive any
sort of reasonable, near space temperatures
Figure 32: Expected External 35
Temperature Result
Rev D
if the heater has been truly fixed from the problems experienced with testing.
7.5 Accelerometer Data
WBF expect to
see a standard
accelerometer
graph for
previous ASEN
1400 teams.
There should be
3 spikes in the
graphs of the x
and z directions,
with the first
being at launch
because SB 2
will be jerked
initially when it
is released and
pulled by the Balloon. Secondly, there will be a lull in

Figure 33: Expected
the data while the Balloon is ascending, and then at burst
Accelerometer Result
there will be a very large spike. The BalloonSat will fall
violently during descent until the parachute deploys, at
which point the accelerometer should level out a bit. Finally, there will be a big spike upon impact
with the ground.
8.0 Launch and Recovery

WBF's BalloonSat will be launched on Saturday November 12, 2016 from Limon, CO by Chris
Koehler along with the students of ASEN 1400. The BalloonSat will be attached to a flight string
along with a number of other payloads and will be towed to the edge of space by a weather
balloon. Along with the other payloads, there will also be a GPS system attached to the string.
Chris Koehler will track the movement of the BalloonSat after burst and through decent using
GPS data downlinked via VHF radios to laptops in the lead vehicle. This way, Team WBF will
be able to find and recover their BalloonSat.
Once found, Team WBF shall photograph the interior and exterior of the BalloonSat before
moving it excessively. This shall demonstrate the state of the project directly following flight and
remove external variables encountered after flight. With this information, analysis of data and
possible failure will be easier. Once the project team has returned to CU from retrieval, the SD
cards will be removed and inserted into a team member's computer in order to analyze the data
written to the card during flight. This process has been tested on the ground to ensure its
functionality. From this data Team WBF shall analyze the success of their mission and how to
improve it for next time.
36

Rev D
This procedure, from launch, to recovery, to data analysis has been put into practice by members
of ASEN 1400 for over 10 years. With this many years of refinement the Launch and Recovery
of WBF's BalloonSat will go smoothly.
9.0.0 Results and Analysis

9.0.1 Experiment Illuminance Data
Figure 34, 35&36: Flight

Illuminance Result
37

Rev D
The illuminance graph showed zero for most of the time as expected because the LED was off to
conserve power between readings and turned on when measurements are needed. The control
reading spike which should be taken before the first cleaning cycle was missing, indicating that
the LED failed to power on at that moment and therefore there are only two illuminance peaks.
The peak illuminance on the recording from the second cycle was higher than the peak
illuminance of the first cycle indicating that the mirror was reflecting more light and thus was
cleaner. The control reading for the mirror before the first cleaning cycle was deleted from the
code by accident when putting together the final version of the code the day before check in,
therefore the only data that can be compared is the illuminance of the first and second cycles. This
is confirmed by the higher ending illuminance at the end of cycle two compared to cycle one (2.4
lux compared to 1.4 lux). The initial spike of both graphs indicate the illuminance sensor
adjusting to the light level when the LED turned on and due to some isopropanol present on the
mirror. The isopropanol along with iron oxide and dirt gets ejected over the cycle as the mirror
spins up. Isopropanol helps dislodge dirt and iron oxide from the mirror so that they are
suspended in the solution and gets ejected with the liquid by centripetal force when the mirror
spins. This prevents static charge and friction from holding most of the dirt and iron oxide onto
the mirror. Visible traces of dirt and iron oxide were still stuck on the mirror however the mirror
was visibly cleaner after flight, along with the side walls had experienced dirt being flung onto it.
The remaining contaminants on the mirror was stuck to the mirror in dried up glue that was used
to secure dirt.
The data recovered from flight regarding the illuminance sensor shows that the cycle and LED
came on when they were supposed to, and it also replicated the data expected by WBF before
flight. The successively increasing peaks, along with the timestamp of the peaks, that our
experiment was successful.
9.0.2 Acceleration Data
The acceleration graph

shows an expected
profile with spikes
indicating handling
before launch and some
initial oscillations after
launch which are
quickly dampened
within a minute after
launch. A large spike of
up to 3.35g on the x
axis and 2.61g on the y
axis was detected.
Absolute maximum
load is likely higher but
momentarily and fell in between the times the
Figure 37: Flight Accelerometer
Result 38

Rev D
data was recorded. From the data, the oscillations post burst are very brief (less than 1 minute)
and parachute deploys successfully in a timely manner. The y-axis shows a value of ~1.4g for the
first two minutes after parachute deployment while x-axis shows acceleration peaking at 0.25-
0.3g which is due to harmonic motion of the BalloonSats. This is consistent with the deceleration
calculated from altitude data. This also matches well with the altitude data plot which shallows
more rapidly in the first 10 minutes after burst and then settles onto a constant gradient, indicating
decreasing deceleration and achieving terminal velocity when the gradient becomes constant.
Another spike indicates a gentle landing and some rolling to a stop and remaining stationary for
almost an hour before recovery teams reached the BalloonSat. The absence of large spikes after
landing until recovery indicates that the payload was not towed over the ground by the wind. for
the BalloonSat which is consistent with the deceleration calculated from altitude data. This
matches well with the altitude data plot which shallows more rapidly in the first 10 minutes after
burst and then settles onto a constant gradient, indicating decreasing deceleration and achieving
terminal velocity when the gradient becomes constant. Another spike indicates a gentle landing
and some rolling to a stop and remaining stationary for almost an hour before recovery teams
reached the BalloonSat. The absence of large spikes after landing until recovery indicates that the
payload was not towed over the ground by the wind. for the BalloonSat which is consistent with
the deceleration calculated from altitude data. This matches well with the altitude data plot which
shallows more rapidly in the first 10 minutes after burst and then settles onto a constant gradient,
indicating decreasing deceleration and achieving terminal velocity when the gradient becomes
constant. Another spike indicates a gentle landing and some rolling to a stop and remaining
stationary for almost an hour before recovery teams reached the BalloonSat. The absence of large
spikes after landing until recovery indicates that the payload was not towed over the ground by
the wind.
9.0.3 Pressure, Altitude, and Vertical Speed Data
The graph above is the

graph of atmospheric
pressure verses time. The
data trend is extremely
similar to our predicted
data as well as our bell
jar test. After launching,
the pressure dropped
continuously and
significantly until burst.
The pressure drop
resembles an exponential
decay, which supports
the accepted theory of
the relationship between
atmospheric pressure and
change in time assuming that the ascend rate of the
Figure 39: Flight Atmospheric
Pressure Result 39

Rev D
BalloonSat is constant. The atmospheric pressure started out at approximately twelve pounds per
square inch, and it went down to approximately 0.23 pounds per square inch at its lowest. After
burst, there is a rapid increase in pressure, indicating that the BalloonSat descends in a quick
manner.
The altitude was calculated from our air pressure data

Figure 40: Processed Flight using the barometric formula. The tropopause is at
Altitude Results 11000m or 28 minutes into the timeline as indicated by a
leveling off temperature trend in contrast to the linear
decrease experienced before, even though altitude is increasing at constant rate indicated by the
constant slope of the altitude-time graph above. This supports our expected data, despite the fact
that the balloon did not reach its full expected altitude.
40

Rev D
The ascent rate averages at 7ms-1 for the ascent up until

Figure 41: Processed Flight the stratosphere where ascent rate reduced to an average
Vertical Speed Result of 6ms-1 due to the increase in air temperature degrading
climb performance as warm air is less dense, reducing
the density gradient between ambient air and hydrogen in the balloon. Descent rate almost
reached 40ms-1 on the descent and decelerated at an average of 0.08ms-1 for the first two minutes
calculated by taking the speed decrease from 40ms-1 to 30ms-1 within a duration of 120 seconds
between t=70 and t=72.
41

Rev D
9.0.4 Relative Humidity Data
Figure 42: Flight Relative Humidity,

Pressure and Altitude Data
.
Figure 43: Calculated Actual Relative
Humidity 42

Rev D
Temperature is lowest passing through the tropopause and low temperature air can hold less water
vapor than warmer air so the absolute humidity will be lower. There is the steepest temperature
gradient between outside and inside the box at this altitude, meaning the dry outside air is warmed
up so it can hold more moisture, but the low outside absolute humidity leads to the warmed
internal air having the lowest relative humidity of the whole flight. This relative humidity
minimum is evident both times the BalloonSat transits through the tropopause. It would be
interesting for future teams to mount an external humidity sensor to measure the real outside
relative humidity, but this can be calculated by using our external and internal temperature data.
This revealed a major clue (discussed in Failure Analysis) to when the isopropanol leaked
prematurely due to reduction in air pressure and an alternative explanation of the humidity data
plot in relation to other data.
In an attempt to correct the RH data using the internal, external temperature data and vapor
pressure formula to find the actual external % of RH of the atmosphere, we discovered large
spikes that are definitely not from natural causes. Corrected RH started in the high 70%, which is
reasonable, as moisture from the warmer air inside the car cabin during transport that seeped into
the BalloonSat, has not completely dissipated yet due to small vent holes to reduce heat loss. The
cooler outside air at the launch side results in the high %RH which should not be considered a
reliable reading for atmospheric conditions on launch day. However, venting should bring the
corrected RH value closer to the real outside RH. This is this case until t=15 minutes when the
corrected RH trend increases at an increasing rate past 100% to over 400% and reaching 800%. It
is impossible for the air to get this oversaturated and moisture left from before launch should not
be able to contribute to this much humidity. External vapor pressure drops due to the decreasing
temperatures but internal vapor pressure increases due to the increasing temperatures due to heat
added by the heater. The increase vapor or absolute humidity can be either from the atmosphere
or more likely from evaporation of the isopropanol in the syringe, which is discussed in section
9.1.
9.0.5 Internal and External Temperature Data
This graph shows the internal

vs. External temperature
recorded by the environmental
Arduino, Arduino #1. The trend
for both plots is standard for the
flight and heating systems
Clarity endured. The heater
initially warming our satellite to
a temperature above that of
launch was a surprise, as well as
the heater staying on throughout
flight and after landing. In
testing, the heater usually died
out within 30 minutes of being
switched on, so the fact that the
Figure 44: Flight Internal and External
43
Temperature Data

Rev D
internal temperature ended higher than it began is astonishing, as well as a pleasant surprise. From
the data, the global min for the internal temperature was just above 10 degrees C, which satisfies
mission requirement 1.4.3. This data resembles data from previous teams, and also resembled
what WBF expected to see.
9.1 Failure Analysis

There were several unexpected anomalies with the status of the apparatus and experiment data
when the apparatus was inspected after landing and the data plotted on a graph. Upon cutting
opening the BalloonSat box, the syringe pump was found in its original position, however, there
was no isopropanol left inside the syringe at all, indicating a failure as the cleaning cycle did not
run as planned, but the liquid still left the syringe. The illuminance data showed otherwise. The
illuminance did show two spikes instead of the expected three for a control reading and after the
two cleaning cycles. The second spike was higher than the first spike, indicating that some
cleaning action did take place. Going through the code and inspection of the interior conditions
allowed the failures to be located as discussed below.
9.1.1 Humidity Evaporation of Isopropanol

A portion of the isopropanol was pulled out of the syringe by the decreasing air pressure while the
rest evaporated due to vacuum evaporation, which reduces evaporation point at lower pressures,
and due to the heating caused by the heater and sunlight after landing. The BalloonSat laid on an
open field after landing, exposed to the solar radiation and increasing air temperatures through the
day. External temperatures reached 14C while internal temperatures reached 25C due to
insolation and heat added by the heater, which helped with evaporation of the isopropanol.
Isopropanol that was not evaporated was dropped onto the mirror and spun off during the two
cleaning cycles. A sponge absorbed the isopropanol after the cleaning cycle and despite some
evaporating from the insulation, it was still moist upon recovery.
The reduced relative humidity (reaching below 30% after t=10) combined with the warming
effects of the heater assists in evaporation of some isopropanol after launch. The heater is at the
same level as the syringe, pointed towards the syringe with the syringe furthest away of all
components (electronics placed in front of syringe to get better heating). The humidity graph
shows small spikes from the smooth trend during the ascent as shown on fig which is determined
to be moments of evaporation of the isopropanol solution. The isopropanol solution increases the
humidity within the BalloonSat as the test chamber is not completely airtight.
The theoretical external humidity was calculated by using recorded internal relative humidity,
internal temperature and external temperature, assuming the difference between external and
internal absolute humidity is minimum. The calculated outside relative humidity exceeded 100%
after 18 minutes from power on and remained above 100% until after 90 minutes reaching a peak
of over 800% or 8 times over saturation point, which is impossible. Compared to altitude,
oversaturation occurred climbing through 7500 meters until descending through 8000 meters. The
lack of fog and clouds altogether on launch day indicates a dry day with low dew point, which
further confirms that the increase in calculated humidity is impossible. There is also a continued
increase in recorded relative humidity after the rise through the tropopause where temperature
starts rising. Comparison with previous semesters flights humidity graphs show a constant
humidity trend after the tropopause or a very slight increase. A rise in temperature should result in
44

Rev D
a reduction of relative humidity if the absolute humidity stays the same because saturation level of
water in air increases with temperature. From these observations, it is possible to conclude that
this significant rise of internal relative humidity must be augmented by internal sources, which
can only come from evaporation isopropanol.
The increase in internal

BalloonSat temperature at
about 10 minutes increases
the capacity for vapor in air
which is followed shortly by
the second spike in humidity
at 11 minutes indicating
more evaporation. A similar
pattern can be seen after
landing at t=105 (refer to the
temperature graph and the
whole flight humidity-
altitude graph above). Other
than the cold humidity
causing condensation and the
high humidity reading, the
high humidity reading also
has a high possibility of
being caused by evaporation
of the remaining
isopropanol. The increasing
internal temperature helped
augment evaporation rates.
Figure 45: Indication of Leaking
Isopropanol
Humidity dropped more rapidly when the rate of humidity added by evaporation was less than the
rate of vapor lost to the outside environment by venting due to the decreased volume of
isopropanol left. Humidity slowly approaches ambient values when the vapor inside is vented
out.
9.1.2 Syringe Pump System

Upon examination after landing, the syringe pump did not function as planned. After testing the
system again after launch, the servo operated flawlessly, with the large exception that it was
pushing the servo mount backwards instead of pushing the syringe forwards. This resulted in the
syringe feeling a little bit of force, but not enough to move at all, rendering the system totally
ineffective. To fix this problem, two Lego blocks were attached to the back of the servo and were
45

Rev D
in contact with the sides of the satellite. This prevents the servo from pushing itself back, and
grantees that the syringe will be pushed forward.
Although our syringe pump did not function, the

Figure 46: Legos for preventing the servo
from pushing backwards
pressure difference between the inside of the syringe
and the outer atmospheric pressure forced the liquid
to leak. This failure in fact leads to the partial success
of the mission. In the future, we will add a pressure regulation valve that will only allow the fluid
to be pushed out at a certain pressure to prevent the fluid from ejecting onto the mirror
prematurely.
Figure 47: Pressure Activation Valve

PRESSURE ACTIVATED FEMALE
LUER LOCK VALVE [Digital image].
(n.d.). Retrieved December 11, 2016.
46

Rev D
9.1.3 Code
After analyzing the data of illuminance verses time, it was realized that there are only two spikes
on the graph. The time of the spike corresponds to the time that was set for the syringe pump to
activate. It was concluded that we are missing an initial reading. The problem with the code is that
the test chamber LED is not on the entire flight. Therefore, there is no initial baseline reading of
the dirty mirror. This is corrected by supplying power to the test chamber LED as soon as the
Arduino board is switched on. For science and analyzing purposes, this failure is a problem
because there is no baseline clean level of the mirror. But, for purposes of application, this error
would not be involved in the practical application of this technology on Mars.
9.1.4 Heater LED

During our testing, the heater failed to function properly for over five minutes. We tested all of
the joints and nothing seem to be fixing the problem. Therefore, we unsoldered the LED from the
heater system. The heater worked without the LED, so it was decided that the LED would be
excluded from the system. As it turns out, the heater was able to last the entire flight and even
more, so this is not really an error, just a problem that was solved.
9.2 Conclusion
When taking into account all aspects of the mission, and the engineering problem it poses, Project
Clarity has been determined to be a success. The data gathered by the illuminance sensor proves
that the "spray and spin" technique is a viable way to clean mirrors in space. This technology can
be applied to many different surfaces, including what this mission is intended to remedy, which
are solar panels. Also determined through the success of this experiment is that Isopropanol is
effective for dissolving and flushing away iron oxide dust caked onto a vital surface. With some
refinement and integration into the systems of an actual exploration vehicle, this technology has
the capability to take the power of cleaning rovers that are dirty and put that into the hands of the
rovers themselves, saving billions of dollars by keeping the rover active and keeping scientists
and humanity busy by providing them with new discoveries every day. All of the other data
collected, aside from the initial humidity graph, aligns with what the expected data should look
like. The unadjusted humidity graph, compared with the adjusted RH graph, show the points best
determined to be where some cleaning fluid leaked out of the syringe and into the test chamber,
which is outlined and shown above, in section 9.1.1. Through the failures experienced, there were
a few things learned. The first is that the functionality of a syringe is compromised when taken to
a location with significantly lower pressure. To remedy this, a special made syringe would need to
be constructed, or a new system for dispensing the cleaning fluid must be devised. Also learned
was that the servo needs to have a surface to push against, which reaffirms Newtons third law of
physics. In future renditions of this project, something more than Lego blocks should be installed,
but the functionality would be the same. The leakage of the liquid at an uncontrolled rate and the
syringe pump system malfunction cancelled themselves out, which allowed the mission to be
successful. In the future, these errors will be accounted for in the design stages of the project and
a new system must be developed in order to improve the functionality of the system.
Through the failures experienced, there were a few things learned. The first is that the
functionality of a syringe is compromised when taken to a location with significantly lower
pressure. To remedy this, a special made syringe would need to be constructed, or a new system
47

Rev D
for dispensing the cleaning fluid must be devised. Also learned was that the servo needs to have a
surface to push against, which reaffirms Newtons third law of physics.
10.0 Ready for Flight

After conducting the failure analysis as well as retesting our equipment, we concluded that there
were four failures experienced by Project Clarity on her maiden voyage.
First of all, the motor used to spin the mirror got jammed by the dirt and rust during flight.
Therefore, we detached the original motor and attached a new one, as well as refitted the
insulation that helps support the motor by giving it an extended cover that will better protect
them. With these improvements, the motor and mirror should not have any more issues.
Next is the syringe pump. The syringe pump did not work during flight. Upon further examination
and testing, we realized that the syringe pump servo was pushing itself backwards instead of
pushing the syringe forwards. Therefore, we attached two blocks of Lego behind the servo. This
gives the servo something to push against, being the wall of the satellite, so it has to force the nut
and syringe forward.
Then, it was noted that upon finding the satellite, not only was the pump not compressed from its
pre-flight state, but the cleaning fluid that was in the syringe before flight was initially nowhere to
be found. Upon further inspection, the bottom of the experimental test chamber was wet. It was
determined that the liquid had slowly leaked out of the syringe and onto the mirror, due to the
decreasing pressure. To hold liquid in, the syringe relies on capillary pressure for the liquid to not
leak out. When the pressure decreased, the fluid overcame the falling pressure and was allowed to
leak out at an uncontrolled rate. These two failures actually cancelled each other out, but would
like to be avoided in the future, as it was luck that saved Clarity from failing dramatically.
Lastly, there were also problems experienced with the code. The test chamber LED was not on the
entire flight, like it was supposed to be. It was only turned on during the cleaning sequences.
Additionally, there was no control reading taken shortly after liftoff, as there should have been.
This resulted in not knowing for sure what the original lux reading was at We changed the flight
code so that the LED would stay on throughout the flight.
Prior to the next flight, the payload will be stored in a dry environment away from sunlight. Were
the next flight to take place, another set of dirt and cleaning alcohol will be added into the test
chamber.
The activation method of the payload would remain the same. All of the switches shall be
switched on shortly before launch. The GoPro shall be switched on with a long screwdriver.
The alcohol and the batteries might not be able to last for six months. Therefore, we will place
new batteries and alcohol into the BalloonSat were we to launch again.
To test our flight readiness, we will do all of the previous tests again with the addition of another
bell jar test. This new bell jar test will focus on the syringe's capability to contain the liquid in low
pressure environments. If the syringe cannot hold the liquid as planned, we will add a pressure
regulated valve that will only allow the liquid to be pushed through at a certain pressure. After all
of the checks have been completed, Clarity 2.0 should be ready for launch again.
48

Rev D
11.0 Lessons Learned

This projects course has taught us the importance of always staying on top of the workload and
deadlines. There are many working hours required outside of class and falling behind or
procrastinating will make the project much more stressful and labor intensive. We learned how
failure is not necessarily a bad thing, as it allowed us to work on figuring out what went wrong
and learn much more about our satellite. If we were able to do this again with the lessons taken
away from the course, we would have worked better to meet deadlines by accomplishing more of
the workload earlier instead of later. Also there would have been a greater effort to work as a full
team and ensure all members attend each team meeting to more evenly distribute the effort
requirement of each member.
12.0 Message to Next semester

Always stay on top of the deadline. Do not fall behind. Work as hard as you can. Once you fall
behind, you will NOT be able to make it up. Start working when the work is assigned. Treat every
day like the deadline and never procrastinate. You will encounter unexpected problems, and you
will spend countless hours trying to resolve the problem. Expect to have a few all-nighters before
flight, and to lose contact with your friends in the week before flight. Make sure that everyone, or
at least most of the group members know how to use Solidworks, and have access to the laser
cutter and the 3D printer. Otherwise, the workload distribution is going to be extremely uneven.
Also, make sure everyone understands the mission thoroughly so they can participate in editing
and improving all sections of the design document. Last but not least, most experiments in the
course fails. So do not be sad, you would not be the only one. Learn the most you can from the
experience and activities.
49

Rev D

When Buffs Fly Design Document Fall 2016 Rev D

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

When Buffs Fly Design Document Fall 2016 Rev D

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

When Buffs Fly

Colorado Space Grant Consortium

When Buffs Fly

Revision Description Date

1.0 Mission Statement

The mission of WBF is to develop a new way of

Page 3 of 49 December 11, 2016

Page 4 of 49 December 11, 2016

Page 5 of 49 December 11, 2016

Page 6 of 49 December 11, 2016

2.0 Requirements Flow Down

Level 0 Mission Requirements:

Level 1 Mission Requirements:

Page 7 of 49 December 11, 2016

Mission Objectives Compliance:

Page 8 of 49 December 11, 2016

Page 9 of 49 December 11, 2016

Page 10 of 49 December 11, 2016

Seven 9V batteries in total are used to provide

3.5 Command and Data Handling (C&DH)

Page 11 of 49 December 11, 2016

3.6 Apparatus Design

3.7 Special Features

The special features of our BalloonSat

Figure 6: Experiment Apparatus

Figure 7: Complete Experiment

Figure 8: Motor and Mirror Design

Page 13 of 49 December 11, 2016

3.8 Wiring Strategy

3.9 Systems Operation Description

Page 14 of 49 December 11, 2016

3.10 Concept of Operations

Figure 10: Concept of Operations

At T+ 60 minutes, Arduino #2 will continue recording illuminance data once every 50

Page 15 of 49 December 11, 2016

3.10 Final Parts

Item: Weight (g) Price ($) Ordered From: Part Number

Page 16 of 49 December 11, 2016

Page 17 of 49 December 11, 2016

4.2 Management Organization Chart

Prem Pakabunto Coding Lead Structures

Yang Lee Thermal Lead Structure

Destin Woods Apparatus Design Lead Videography

Davis Butte Wiring Lead Budget

Taylor Johnson Budget Manager Thermal

Aiden Quade Wiring

Page 18 of 49 December 11, 2016

Page 19 of 49 December 11, 2016

6.0 Test Plan and Results

6.1 Structure - Whip Test

According to the data obtained from past groups, the

6.2 Structure - Drop Test

Page 20 of 49 December 11, 2016

The drop test is relatively simple in comparison to other

Due to the heavy traffic coming through this area, some of

Figure 12: Drop Test

The purpose of the stair test is to simulate dragging along the

Figure 13: Stair Test

Page 21 of 49 December 11, 2016

6.4 Thermal - Heater and Insulation Test

To test the effectiveness of the heater and

6.5 Electronics - Camera Test

Page 22 of 49 December 11, 2016

6.6 Apparatus Tests