EE 189L - Fall 2018

EE 189L: Space Vehicles LLC - A Project-based Course for New Students

(scroll down for some great pictures and videos)

Students launch their weather balloon on 10 December 2018 [credit:  Chris Pauli]

Co-instructors:

  • Ken Eack
  • Aly El-Osery
  • Kevin Wedeward

Learning coaches:

  • Skyler Fennell
  • Hayden Walker
  • Joshua Ward

Students enrolled represented majors in:

  • Biomedical Science
  • Chemistry
  • Earth Science
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering

Topics (roughly by week):

  1. Welcome and introduction to course
  2. Measurements, electronics (voltage sources, resistors, LEDs) and instrumentation
  3. Programming the Arduino Uno, LEDs, digitalWrite, PWM and measurements via oscilloscope
  4. Analog-to-digital converters, and measurements of temperature via Arduino Uno and thermistor
  5. Interfacing with GPS and data logging on SD card via Arduino Uno
  6. Digital communications via Arduino Uno using humidity and temperature sensor
  7. Overview of balloon launches, related research at NMT and lift calculations
  8. Students divide into three sub-teams (logistics, communications and payload) and develop everything needed to launch a weather balloon with instrumentation and communications by semester's end

Useful links:

  • Cambridge University Spaceflight (CUSF) Landing Predictor - A tool to predict the flight path and landing location of latex sounding balloons.
  • Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK) Software Application - Enables additional capabilities for ported cameras.
  • High Altitude Science Balloon Performance Calculator - A tool to predict the amount of helium needed for a balloon.

Pictures and videos from flight on 10 December 2018:

Path of weather balloon on satellite view [credit:  aprs.fi and Google Maps]
Preparing the payload [credit:  Kevin Wedeward]
Preparing the payload [credit:  Chris Pauli]
Payload including Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS), GPS, GoPro camera, Canon camera and data acquisition systems [credit:  Zady Gutierrez]
Preparing smaller "practice" balloon for launch [credit:  Hayden Walker]
Filling the balloon with helium [credit:  Chris Pauli]
Filling the balloon with helium [credit:  balloon-based GoPro]
Tying off the balloon, and connecting the parachute and payload [credit:  Chris Pauli]
Balloon in flight [credit:  Chris Pauli]
View down from balloon after launch [credit:  balloon-based camera]
NMT_EE_Balloon_Ascension_2018.mp4
Video from balloon during ascent [credit:  balloon-based GoPro and Aly El-Osery]
View south of Rio Grande Valley [credit:  balloon-based GoPro]
View west of Magdalena Mountains and M-mountain (Socorro Peak) [credit:  balloon-based GoPro]
View north showing M-mountain on left, campus in lower-center and Rio Grande Valley [credit:  balloon-based GoPro]
NMT_EE_Balloon_View_From_82k_Feet_2018.mp4
Video from balloon showing view above 80,000 feet [credit:  balloon-based GoPro and Aly El-Osery]
View at over 80,000 feet [credit:  balloon-based GoPro]
View at over 80,000 feet with the Valley of Fires lava field and White Sands National Monument visible [credit:  balloon-based GoPro]
NMT_EE_Balloon_Popping_Slow_Motion_2018.mp4
Slow motion video from balloon showing it pop at over 80,000 feet - Valley of Fires lava flow and White Sands National Monument are visible several times [credit:  balloon-based GoPro and Aly El-Osery]
Balloon popping at over 80,000 feet [credit:  balloon-based GoPro and Hayden Walker]
Valley of Fires lava field and US-380 [credit:  balloon-based camera]
NMT_EE_Balloon_Landing_2018.mp4
Video from balloon during landing [credit:  balloon-based GoPro and Aly El-Osery]
Search team on the hunt for the balloon's payload [credit:  Hayden Walker]
Landing site by Valley of Fires lava field [credit:  Hayden Walker]
Bringing home the balloon's payload and a souvenir [credit:  Hayden Walker]