2019
2019/12/16 - More Thermal Vaccum Tests
With the help of Dr. Prashanth Reddy Marpu, Dr. Adriano conducted more Thermal Vacuum tests at KU to compare results with what was obtained in NYUAD's Thermal Vacuums tests.
2019/12/08 - Thermal Vacuum Tests in NYUAD
Thermal Vacuum Tests were run on the Crystal in our very own in-house built Thermal Vacuum Chamber. The CeBr3/LBC Crystal was finally able to survive the test! It is space-qualified!
2019/11/28 - Presentation in Sorbonne! ESIG Meeting at Sorbonne University.
An Emirates Space Innovation Group meeting was held in Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. Lolowa presented the RAAD CubeSat mission's latest updates on behalf of the payload team. Dr. Adriano presented the possibility of better triangulation of TGFs origins through launching a constillation of RAAD detector-holding CubeSats.
2019/11/04 - The Astroparticle Lab's Very Own Thermal Vacuum Chamber!
Under the supervision of Dr. Adriano, and with the help of Lolowa, and Sebastien. The Astroparticle Physic Lab assembled it's very own TVC for space-qualifying new components.
2019/10/09 - At Al Sadeem Observatory!
In efforts to gain access to lightning data records from Blitzortung for the correlation with TGF data detected by RAAD, a lightning sensor was built and planned to be installed somewhere in Abu Dhabi. A remote location was crucial, thus the team met with Thabet Al-Qaissieh regarding installing a lightning sensor in the Al Sadeem Observatory. We are grateful for Al Sadeem Observatory accepting to hosting the lightning sensor.
The area was scoped and scanned for background noise, and found perfect for the installation of the sensor.
The picture bellow shows the Lightning Sensor Antenna bult by Zoltan Derzsi. Zoltan will be conducting tests on it at NYUAD with a couple of students before finally taking it to Al Sadeem Observatory.
2019/10/09 - Martino Marisaldi Visited!!
Martino Marisaldi in and expert in atmospheric high energy events. He was invited by the lab to NYUAD to give a talk on his projects. The team later met with him on the mission of RAAD.
2019/10/06 - RAAD Demonstrator
The RAAD Demonstrator Detector Unit was placed inside a 3D printed CubeSat sized casing for particle detection tests. Resin was poured over the Demonstrator to test how the detector will behave with it on as the actual flight model detectors will have resin on them. The reason behind that is to prevent the short-circuiting of the electronics while in the high-particle-rate environment of space.
2019/09/30 - NYUAD Physics Seminar Series
Dr. Adriano gave a seminar on the scientific mission of RAAD CubeSat and the progress of planning the detector in the Seminar Series hosted by NYUAD for the science division.
2019/09/29 - The building of the RAAD Demonstrator Detector Unit
It had to be contained so it won't lay waste to the world with its world domination plans.
.. Just kidding! It was to protect it from dust.
More on the CubeSat can be found here.
2019/09/17 - ESIG Meeting
Lolowa presented the RAAD CubeSat Mission updates on behalf of the NYUAD payload team during the ESIG meeting.
And Paolo Giommi (Lab Collaborator) presented the Open Universe collaboration and website.
2019/09/12 - Lab member Lolowa gave a talk on the mission of the RAAD CubeSat at the 11th European CubeSat Symposium in Luxembourg University
2019/07/28 to 2019/08/01 - Thermal Vacuum Tests on RAAD's Crystals
Multiple Thermal Vacuum Tests were conducted on the scintillating crystal arrays of RAAD using the Thermal Vacuum Chamber at Khalifa University's YahSat Lab. Thermal Vacuum tests are conducted to put the payload components through environments similar to those expected in space, allowing for the space qualifying of these components.
2019/07/07 - Light-1 Preliminary Design Review (PDR) Presentation
The RAAD PDR presentation was hosted by the NYUAD payload team in the presence of members from the UAE Space Agency, KU, and a senior review board of radiation and space experts. In this meeting, the choice of components to be used and companies to manufacture was stated. the majority of RAAD's components had to be custom made for the optimization of the small space that exists within a CubeSat. The differences between the two detectors were also solidified during this meeting. In making the two detectors different, we have a chance at conducting a direct live comparison between two different types of photo detection technologies.
Opening remarks given by Professor Francesco Arneodo in the picture.
Learn more about the CubeSat here.
2019/03/19 - Global Space Congress - Lolowa's Talk
Lab members attended the Global Space Congress to present activities and projects being conducted in the lab.
Lolowa Alkindi also presented at the event in the panel on "Building a career in the space industry. Traditional and non-traditional education paths". She had brought with her a small rock from Mars which she was given by the astronaut Don Thomas as a gift to keep her love and enthusiasm for space science. She had kept it a surprise in her pocket and revealed it at the very end of the talk to inspire awe.
2019/03/17 - RAAD Mission Concept Review (MCR) Presentation
Every space mission has to go through an MCR in front of a senior review board of experts in related fields. The RAAD MCR meeting was held in the presence of NYUAD payload team members, the UAE Space Agency representatives, and Khalifa University Students.
Highlights of the meeting: Praise for the mission's nature of being scientifically driven and student led. As well as having a clear plan on what has to be done in the following days.
Learn more about the CubeSat here.
2019/02/13 - Ambassador's Visit to the lab
Liborio Stellino, Ambassador of Italy in the UAE, visited the Astroparticle Physics Lab and learned of the projects being conducted.
2019/02 - The Planning of RAAD, the CubeSat's payload.
The TGF detector project has turned from a 2U into a 3U CubeSat project to house two detectors instead of one. The acronym RAAD (Rapid Acquisition Atmospheric Detector) was chosen for it's payloads. RAAD is also the Arabic word for thunder (رعد), a biproduct of lightning, just as TGFs are.
A 3D design of the detector has been made and particle interaction simulations were conducted on it. GEANT 4 Simulation credit to Gianmarco Bruno. 3D model credits to Sebastian Kalos.
