Team Mate Final Presentation

1. Team MateFinal Presentation Amelia Weller, Ethan Long, Erick Chewakin, Jason Schelz, Will Hakes, Brendon Barela, Emma Mossinger 12/2/10

2. Mission Overview • The sun releases elevated levels of magnetism and radiation during cycles of increased activity, erupting solar storms into space • Sun spots send charged particles into space in the form of a solar wind, and some of these charged particles encounter Earth and Earth’s atmosphere • The hypothesis of this team is that the Earth’s atmosphere experiences increased amounts of ultraviolet radiation due directly to the solar flares and other solar activities • The radiation could interfere with artificial satellites’ ability to send and receive data

3. Design Overview

4. Design Overview (Cont.) • When the appropriate wavelength hits an LED a current is sent in the reverse direction generated by photons striking the diode • The Arduino was programed to measure this voltage, but because of a failure in the shield, no data was collected.

5. Design Overview (Cont.) Changes • The original design used a light to frequency converter to measure UV radiation • The layout of components changed • The shield was not part of the original plan

6. Results and Analysis • We predicted that our data would show higher levels of UV radiation in the atmosphere due to recent high levels of solar activity • The Arduino only collected eighty data points before launch loosened the SD card shield; therefore, our hypothesis remains untested

7. HOBO Flight Data

8. HOBO Flight Data

9. Recap • We did not get the data we wished from the Arduino • We got excellent data from our HOBO and managed to fly to nearly 100,000 ft • Our structure managed to survive with only a few dents. • The straws housing the LEDs were undamaged • The biggest dent was given by Professor Koehler pre-launch

10. Two systems tests were run after the flight that did not yield any data • Upon inspecting the equipment we found that the shield was not soldered properly and thus the Arduino was not able to write any data to the SD card • We have since re-soldered the connection and run a successful systems test

11. Post-Flight Test Data

12. Conclusions • Although the science mission of this satellite did not collect usable data, the experiences learned also proved invaluable • The most important experiences this mission provided is the opportunity to work as a team and understand the challenge of sending an object into space • The pictures also were a great way to spark interest in a future as aerospace engineers

13. Lessons Learned • Triple-check any and all switches • Install a status light • Possibly use a master-switch • Conduct tests under more punishing conditions to correctly simulate flight. • Hardware whip test

14. Ready To Fly • Payload should be disconnected from all batteries while in storage, LEDs should be kept out of direct sunlight, and the balloonsat should be stored above 0°C • All switches should remain in the “off” position until flight • The camera switch needs to be toggled twice each time the camera is turned on or off • The remaining switches should be set to “on”

17. Message to Next Semester • There will be times that you may think it isn’t worth it and you should give up. If you do give up you will regret it for the rest of your life, at least the rest of the school year. "Teamwork is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results."  -Andrew Carnegie