PHYS (200-level)–Designing, Building, Flying, and Managing a Real Scientific Space Payload

(3 credits – 3 contact hours)

Course Description:

This is an inter-disciplinarycourse is to support NASA/HQ education initiative for undergraduate majors in science, engineering and humanities (Dr.Verner - PI). The course aims to provide CUA students unique opportunities to design, build, test, calibrate and flya prototype Attitude Determination system (PADS) for High Altitude Research Balloons. Students will work closely both withCUA faculty and superb NASA/GSFC scientists and engineers experienced in building and flying instruments on balloons and CubeSats. Our Co-Is from NASA/GSFC: 1) Cosmology-Al Kogut and his group of engineers and scientists; 2) Heliophysics- Doug Rowland and his group of engineers guide continuously throughoutthe whole project.

The course organization, structure and content provide the veryreal life experience like that of NASA scientists and engineers. Most work will be performed on-campus at CUA. Meanwhile testing will be performed at NASA facilities as GSFC and Palestine TX. All undergraduates, regardless of majors and previous experience, are welcome to work on different aspects of this project. Activities include, but not limited to,selecting electronicand other components, budget planning, ordering, webpage/communication development, reporting, book-keeping of activities, payload design, fabrication, programming, standards, calibration, data analysis and project management.

Topics Covered:

  • Basic System Design of Space Payloads
  • Fabrication of the Detailed Optical, Electrical and Mechanical Systems
  • Programming for Control, Data Acquisition, Storage, and Telemetry
  • Setting Standards for Power Requirements plus Thermal and Stress Analysis
  • Calibration and Testing of the Component Systems and Integrated Payload.
  • Post-Flight Data Reduction & Analysis
  • Overall Project Management to Guarantee Experiment and Flight Success

These topics will be presented as they relate to the specific payload to be designed, built, and flown. In this case it will be the PADS payload.

Prerequisites:

This is multidisciplinary project for science, engineering and humanity CUA undergraduate majors. All students are required to successfully completingat least one year of undergraduate studies. The group is limited to 10-12 students. All successful applicants for this course must submit their resumes to PI on NASA USIP project /nd to describe their expertise or experience in one or more of the following areas: physics, programming, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, management, business, web page development, writing and leadership. Two semesters of commitment is expected for this course.

Required/Elective/Selected Elective:Elective

Reading requirements:

  • HASP materials (http:/laspace.lsu.edu/hasp/)
  • HASP – Student Payload Interface manual
  • USIP Meeting materials to be provided during NASA briefings
  • Additional reading information depends on student selection and needs. Additional links and manuals will be provided by the instructors as well as by scientists and engineers at NASA/GSFC.

Reporting requirements and communication:

  1. Weekly meetings with team, PI and mentors

Each student participant must report weekly on the progress toward these project goals depending on his/her assignment. Also the reporting must include challenges, difficulties and needs for each task.

  1. NASA monthly reporting and Status Conferences
  2. E-mails, phone communication, visits to Goddardare expected
  3. Budget reporting
  4. Communication with at list other USIP/HASP student groups from two other Universities (Utah and Univ. of Virginia) is expected. Communication with other balloons, sounding rocket, parabolic aircraft oriented student groups could be possible as well.

Schedule:

Here is a preliminary schedule dictated by NASA HQ proposal guidelines. Since this is a very new initiative within NASA some changes/modifications are expected.

  1. Project Initiation: September 7, 2013
  2. Preliminary Design Review: November, 2013
  3. Component Order & Assembly => December, 2013 to March, 2014
  4. Individual Testing and Calibration => January, 2014 to April, 2014
  5. Payload Integration and Testing. => February, 2014 to May, 2014
  6. Pre-­ship Review & prepare payload and mission compatibility checklist: April-­June, 2014
  7. Ship Payload to Ft. Sumner: July 1, 2014
  8. Mission Readiness Review: mid-­July, 2014
  9. Launch & Retrieval: August-­‐September, 2014
  10. Ship Payload to CUA: within 1-­2 weeks after launch
  11. Analyze Data: September-0ctober, 2014
  12. Prepare Final Report: November, 2014

Contribution to the Professional Component:

This course allows students to apply and develop further their knowledge of mathematics, physics, and engineering, business, writing, to solve scientific/engineering. In addition students will learn how to work on versatile assignments while within the same team and for the same goals. Provide hands-on engineering experience to undergraduate students to develop and fly real flight hardware. Provide regular mentoring opportunities.

Expected Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, the students are expected to be able to:

  • Estimate instrument design parameters: mass, volume, power, budget
  • Understand typical performance requirements for payload systems
  • Understand typical stress and thermal analysis, optical and electrical analysis, power, stability and control requirements for space components
  • Understand basic measurements in space
  • Understand the design process for space systems
  • Apply the above concepts to PADSpayload design problem with defined specifications

Course Outcomes:

Students, depending upon their abilities, will:

(a) Broaden knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering

(b) Participate indesigning and performing experiments, as well as analyze and interpret data

(c)Learn to function on multi-disciplinary teams

(d) Gain experience in identifying, formulating, and solving scientific and engineering problems

(e) Obtain understanding of professional and ethical responsibility

(f) Learn skills to communicate effectively within team, with other teams, mentors, and NASA HQ

(g) Gain experience in writing and reporting their achievements

(h) Obtain an ability to plan, budget, and manage research projects

Relationship to Program Objectives:

This course prepares the students either for immediate practice of engineering or further advanced studies. The students learn teamwork, communication, and develop the skills for independent thinking.

Outcome Assessment:

The outcomes will be assessed through an overall project performance and participation.

Process of Improvement:

  • The student communication via Skype, lab work, meetingswill provide information on which areas of the course need to be strengthened.
  • The student evaluations will provide feedback on the success of the course and will provide information on which areas of the course need improvement.

Course Instructors: Dr. Ekaterina Verner (instructor of record), F. Bruhweiler, J. Abot,????

Date of Last Revision: October 1, 2013