Adam Caulfield

Notes Page

Sept7 - Sept 14:

We have a lot of cool ideas, I am looking forward to discussing these with Dr. Cotton.
I'd enjoy learning about Computer Vision or anything with a good combination of Software Development and Digital/Analog Circuit design

Sept 15 - Sept 28:

Dr. Cotton offered the opportunity to launch a project in a suborbital NASA Rocket. I think this would be a great opportunity. I've always wanted the opportunity to work with something related to aerospace and rockets, so this is a cool opportunity.
Met with Dr. Cotton and he informed us that he has already been given the funding for half of a capsule, so our team will have to determine what our project will be.
Dr. Cotton also informed us that there are a couple other professors that are interested in flying projects, and that he is interested in improving on the 2018 team's results as well as integrating a system for smaller high school projects in the future
We've come up with several ideas for what could go inside the capsule and we will have to meet with Dr. Cotton to determine if they are feasible

Sept 29 - Oct. 12:

We received official notification this week that our Intent to Fly Form (IFF) has been approved
Dr. Cotton forwarded the team the first major details regarding projects from other professors that will be on board with our project.
The project is from Dr. Zhang, we received a copy of Dr. Zhang's thesis via email.
Dr. Zhang would like to launch GaN HEMT transistors in the suborbital flight

Sept 13 - Oct. 19:

We've started work on our Conceptual Design Report (CoDR) due for the RockSat-C program
I've been working on the Mission Overview (Section I) of the CoDR

Oct 20 - Oct 26:

Concluded our Conceptual Design Report (CoDR) today with Dr. Cotton, he went through our modifications and changed/added what he thought were important things to change/add
Next will be to start working on our Preliminary Design Report (PDR) which will be due soon since we are slightly behind the rest of the RockSat-C groups this year
Will need to do more research on the specific designs for the analog components, Arduinos, and other parts necessary, and the best way to put it all together.

Oct 27 - Nov 2:

This week we had our CoDR presentation with Audrey from the RockSat-C program. We showed her our presentation over the presentation program called Zoom.
Feedback from the presentation (things to include in the PDR)
- specification of activation (Start time at T-0 or T-3)
- specification of battery/power supply
- length/material of antenna for GPS unit
- need preliminary CAD
- need block diagrams of circuits/sensor systems
Our presentation for the PDR is Tuesday Nov. 13 @ 7pm, so will need to prepare these things for then.
To do for next week:
- Will need to read over the user guide and research the components of the INSS for the next two weeks
- Need to talk to both faculty members this week and how we will be involved with their projects.
- Dr. Cotton gave me two accelerometers to test, will need to test before next meeting
- Dr. Cotton also gave me a pi0 to test out as well, so will need to test that out before next meeting
- Take a look at past PDR's and research power distribution to determine best method/circuit setup for INSS

Nov 3 - Nov 15:

preparing for PDR. I will be working on the Mission Overview section and details regarding the transistor tester unit
I now have an arduino and will be able to test the accelerators.
PDR is November 13 @ 7pm

After PDR

Audrey complemented us on our presentation, mentioning that she liked how we stuck to the templates
We need to include the following in the CDR:
- cad drawing of GPS and geiger counter fit in port
- mid mount plate (0.25 in into plate)
During the week of Dec 3 - Dec 7
We now need to build preliminary versions of our components and test their functionality.

Nov 16 - Nov 30:

Thanksgiving break coming up
started testing to get accelerometer data
need to research more about radiation at high altitudes in preparation for building the transistor tester and selecting a geigercounter.
using a gy-521 accelerometer and raspberry pi zero to get preliminary accelerometer date

GY-521 Accelerometer

Raspberry Pi Zero

Dec 1 - Dec 7:

Preparation for CDR presentation on Friday
I have been assigned the Mission Overview part of the presentation
I plan on assisting with other parts as well, and hope to finalize the accelerometer data soon.

Dec 7 - Dec 14:

Finals week at UD
Complete the Capstone Fall Report by 12/12 (Wednesday)
complete prototyping and testing by early February.

Winter Session:

Picked up the first GaN HEMT, need to bond to PCB in order to assemble our first transistor tester.
We were contacted by our canister partners as well from the University of Wisconsin.
Planned out goals for the first couple weeks of the spring semester
Had a conference call with Audrey to set goals and expectations for the STR presentation
Planned the STR presentation for Monday 2/11
Have not heard back from Dr. Cotton yet on ordering parts, so will hopefully be able to reach him and assembly prototypes before the STR.

Feb. 11 - Feb 18:

Unfortunately had to delay our STR presentation because we were not able to get the parts in time.
Finally heard back from Dr. Cotton, and gave him information about the accelerometer model and the Teensy controllers that we are going to use.
Our STR presentation has been pushed back to Wednesday Feb 20.
Had a team meeting to plan tasks for the upcoming STR presentation, I am in charge of creating subsystem and integrated system schematics and simulations. I will use the software Cadence for this

Feb 18 - 25:

Had our STR presentation on Wednesday Feb 20, and we did not have enough information to provide with Audrey, so she is expecting more on the next presentation
Next upcoming check in is March 4th, where Audrey wants to see some of our Subsystem Testing Results
The next presentation is the Integrated System Testing Review on March 18.
We finally got our Teensy's from Dr. Cotton, so we can finally start working on the INSS and the Transistor circuit.
Began working on the INSS system with Khalid over the weekend using our new Teensy supplies
Our ADXL337 accelerometer arrived, so we began work on preliminary code for the Teensy to run the ADXL337 and interpreret the signals.
We succeeded in developing some simple accelerometer code, based off some sample arduino code on the ADXL337 product site. We changed based off the voltage and i/o port specifications of the Teensy. The test code reads the accelerometer data (x,y,z) and scales it down based off of the voltage, and then prints those values to the serial window.
Eventually we will need to change this code so that it is writing this data in a succinct way and such that it is writing to a memory card and not to a serial window just for printing.

Image: Teensy 3.6 Package.

Stock Photos of components under use:

ADXL377 Accelerometer (left) and Teensy 3.6 (right)

Feb 25: Building the first Teensy 3.6 / ADXL337 circuit

Feb 25: Close up. Teensy 3.6 (Left) and ADXL337 (Right)

Feb 25 - March 3:

Worked more with the Teensy3.6 to integrate the ADXL337 with the SD card.
We were able to update the code to write to a CSV file while it was collecting data.
Began work on writing preliminary code to measure current and voltage of a transistor

March 4 - March 10:

We had our progress update with Audrey on Monday, and she was very impressed with our progress
We will need to make changes to our geiger counter, add the gps unit, and finalize the transistor circuit before we can begin testing the integrated system
Will need to create pcb design for the completed and tested circuits.

March 11 - March 17:

Spent the week researching and building a DC-step circuit. We need to step from 0V-9V.
Was able to configure single ports on Teensy 3.6 to step from 0V-3V.
Plan on using three ports and stagger the port outputs through a summing amplifier to get outputs stepping from 0V-9V
The image on the right is a schematic using MultiSim to simulate a summing amplifier. This would be the case that all ports are high (3V) and outputting our Vmax of the DC step (9V)
Our actual implementation is not getting the outputs from simulations, most likely due to supplying the Op-Amp. Will need to work on this to test the integrated system for Monday.

Was able to successfully test the Voltage Step Circuit
Also was able to test the INA219 breakout board by generating code and measuring current

Voltage Step schematic

INA219 breadboard implementation

Voltage Step breadboard implementation

INA219 breadboard implementation

March 18 - March 24:

Had our ISTR (Integrated Subsystem Testing Review) with Audrey today (March 18th), and we reported on all of our progress since our previous presentation.
Filled her in on everything we have done so far, including our progress specifically on the Transistor measurement circuit
She approved of the 400V gieger, we are still waiting on some parts to fully build that circuit
Going forward, need to contact canister partners to coordinate the ballasting
We need to buy a 9pin connector and begin testing with port interfacing.
Once our parts for the gieger and the GPS module arrive, we can fully complete the individual parts of our project. Similarly, we are still waiting on the GaN HEMT from Dr. Zeng.

March 25 - March 31:

Received our GPS module, PMB-648 GPS
Received parts of the gieger counter.
Continuing work on our systems and the building a physical version of the power regulator.

April 1 - April 7

Spring break, so we did not have a full team meeting this week
Our canister was shipped, and we scheduled our April progress update for April 15th.
We are expecting our DC voltage step module to arrive once we get back (ordered from Walmart)
Began planning our research poster, and planning to present our progress at decision day.

April 8 - April 14:

Worked more on finalizing our power regulator with a physical implementation that matched the simulations.
Started preliminary GPS-Teensy Code.
Wrote a program simply to activate the PMB-648, receive signals, and print the signals to the Arduino Serial Terminal
As seen in the images below, this preliminary test was successful. Next step will be to use Arduino IDE through the Teensy to run both the accelerometer and the GPS and saving the data from both devices into a file on an SD card.
While I was working on this, Jon and Mohammed were working on the power regulator, and got a physical version working to split a 12V supply into 3.3V, 5V, and 7V.
Began integration of the first two INSS components (GPS and Accelerometer)
As a part of the integration process, began putting together a spreadsheet for teensy port usage.
Came across problem printing GPS to file, float data type converts to string by cutting off at two decimal places, but this makes a big difference in terms of accuracy. So we will need to come up with a new way to save the coordinates.

Teensy 3.6 and PMB-648

Teensy 3.6 Serial Output for GPS testing

GPS Coordinate Verification from GPS testing (Google)

INSS setup on breadboards for first test

INSS first test output (cvs file)

April 15 - April 22:

Had our April Progress Update today with Audrey. She was very excited about our progress
To Do before Full Mission System Review (FMSR):
- We will need to fully test the GaN HEMT Tester and by completing and testing the sweep circuit. After that, we will be able to test the full Transistor Tester unit. After that, will integrate it with the power regulator and the INSS.
- We will need to build the circuit for the plug and play payloads. We have the power regulator complete and the physical connectors from Cotton. We need to build the physical structure and also a circuit that supplies 3.3V to multiple slots without drawing two much current.
- We need to design PCB's for all of these once everything is completed, and send them out for fabrication.

April 22 - April 29

Completed the transistor sweep individual arduino code
Created the first version of the full mission code: all systems arduino code integrated into one system
Full Mission test was not a success, the functions do not interact together well
- Need to make adjustments to our circuits, the op amps are having strange voltage offsets
May need to redesign the code if this fails
Began planning for our FMSR

April 29 - May 6

Had the FMSR this week
Audrey would like to see more Full Mission tests by the May progress update
Audrey informed us of additional work we will need to prepare for the week at Wallops including
- 5-min presentation to Rock-On
- 11x17 poster for their poster day
LLR will be due on June 3
Need to purchase two 9-pin connectors
- it will be placed next to the canister
- wiring from port to canister will be approximately 2 ft (max)
will need to redesign code to use interrupts, timers, and ISR's

May 6 - May 13

Began PCB designs, will be building separate boards for the Power Regulator, the INSS, the geiger, the Voltage Step, and Voltage Sweep
We got the pins for the plug and play boards, can complete that soon
Modified code to have use the interval timers and to be handled on individual timers
- Right now I have modified the code for the INSS
- The major problem in the first test was having the voltage sweep and voltage step together, will need to test that before the progress update next week
We have not heard from Peng for the transistor, frankly it has taken way to long. They continue to delay and I hope we can get the transistor in time since this is a huge component of our project.
Hopefully we will be able to test that before our progress update next week, May 23

May 20 - May 27

One problem I was having was getting the Voltage Step circuit and Voltage Sweep circuit timed correctly, as in our first full mission test, they could not interact together and resulted in constant voltages instead of stepping/sweeping
Used two interval timers, one for each, and the result is shown to the right, there is a full voltage sweep (yellow) in one voltage step (green). Will need to test this with the transistor and INSS tomorrow (tues).

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